Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-11-25


down at one of the breakfast tables. One
of the party was beautifully dressed child
of between two and three years of age, who
was waited upon by tall negro. The first
thing this small gentleman had was cup
of milk and biscuit. Then he had two eggs
beat up in slice OF Johnny cake Ia cake
made of Indian meal and eggs.) He sup
ped very little of the egg, and then called
for fish. After fish he had beef, and after
the beef steak, bacon and biscuit What
more he might have needed was left uncer-
tain, by reason of his spilling the remainder
of the beat eggs over his own and his moth
er's dress, which caused him to be carried
away from the table in state of humilia-
ton.
American children are undoubtedly pre-
| cocious. | think this popularity, though
partly owing to the quickening effect of eli
mate, Is due to some extent, to the American
practice of bringing children to the table
from their infancy. A New England lady,
vino boasted of eleven children, Ia very rare
thing in New England, told me that every
one of them had been brought to the table
at seven months old and at thirteen months
could handle their forks as neatly as she
could Brought to the table so soon and
! hearing all that goes on, they begin at pre-
ternaturaly early age to take an interest in
general affairs, and to acquire the ideas and
language of grown people. An old doctor
! of divinity in Canada, said that, calling one
| day at friends house, little girl was sent
/ in to amuse him till her mamma was ready
! The child told him, among other things, that
she had been writing parody on Kingsley s
song of the Three Fishers but, when
drying it at the open fire, it dropped from
/ her hand and was burned.
! Burned T. exclaimed the doctor; IF
had been the fire should have stopped till
/ you had got it out again!'
20, no, Doctor said the child, gravely,
/ you couldnt have done that. Nature, you
/ know, is nature, and her laws are inviolable. !"
| 1t nearly knocked the doctor off his chair
/ | remember one day at dinner-this was
/ in the STATE of New York-being amused
at the exquisite combination of epicurean-
! ism and forethought on the part of little
/ boy OF nine. Mother" said he, give me
! only little of the mince pie, as | shall want
to taste the pudding
I The chidrens re rarks on political sub
/ iectS tickled me most, for the reason, per
haps, that have so rarely heard anything
of the sort from children at home. A small
hoy of eight will stard up to you and say,
What do you think, sir, of the state Of the
/ country?"
| | remember being amused, beyond express
sion, at one little boy in Brooklyn, who, ,du-
ring the time of ne impeachment trial, began
one evening at supper, to upbraid his father
/ for having supported Andrew johnson.
/ In one of my former papers | spoke of a
/ little Canadian girl, who, in the midst of a
/ conversation on politics, threw in her opinion
that Canada should have had Maine and
/ part of New Hampshire. A case suggested
/ by its similarity occurred in Boston, where a
/ little girl, not much higher than my knee,
with whom | was playing game on the car
| pet. asked me, with serious countenance,
what effect | thought the acquisition of
| Russian America would have on Great Brit
| ain? | laughed the question was so odd !;
| but, on seeing the little eyes look up into my
/ face in mute surprise. | recoy cred myself as
/ suddenly as possible, and endeayored to put
matters right by saying that the thing might
/ possibly lead to some snowballing between
/ the two nations But the little politician in
petticoats evidently thought this was trifiing
with a grave subject, and said no more.
| There is one un pleasant feature in Amer
/ lean precocity-it tends much more frequent
/ ly than here to pertness, and utter want OF
reverence for parents. Papa, don't be
| foolish" heard one little girl say, when
/ her papa was attempting to describe how
/ some comical Frenchman had spoken at a
public meeting. You viii hear child say
to the parent, You get away, or Don
trouble me just now" The parent never
! seemed to me to feel this as Scotch parent
/ would.
/ | remember an indulgent father bringing in
a bunch of grapes for MS little boy. Come,
you are a good fellow after all, =" said the
child cheertully. The parent seemed to me
rather grained at so KIND ] recognition Oh
the part of his son.
remember another brave little fellow OF
four wears old, who sat near me at dinner on
a tall, slim nursery chair, wiping his mouth
after the first course, and saying, Give me
some of that tart, mamma, and ring the bell
for Emma | want some fresh water.
This is only one case out of many that
help to explain VIII a new England lady
meant when she said, Il am learning to be
docile parent' Parents, obey your chill
dren in all things, is the new idea. 1t Is
not, after all, so great 4 stretch 10 anticipate,
as somebody suggests, that we shall by and
by see on the sirnboard of some American
store-''John Smith & Father.
Another incident occurs TO me in connec-
ton with the same little fellow who directed
his mother to ring the bell. One day, when
dinner was over, his mamma said to him
Wipe your mouth, darling.
Precocity looked gravely at her. 'Say
please" He then wiped his lips solemnly