Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-05-15
Fault Finding.

A WRITER in the Western Rural says:
Very few persons seem to realize the de-
pressing influence of fault finding, but con-
slider all their remarks as only friendly, or
at least necessary, criticism. Some people
seem to feelquite sure Their own peculiar way
of doing thing is the only right and prop
er way, and that they are in duty bound to
find fault with and disparage any other.
They will say
What makes you do that Way" "Why
don't you do this way?" "That's not the
way to do it,-this is the way" The per-
son thus addressed may arrive at Just the
same results by different process if allow
ed to do it in his, or her, own way, but if he
be sensitive, nervous person he is at once
confused, and in consequence bungles hor-
ribly at his work.
A farmer is giving his boy his first lesson
in milking, and stands over him to see if it
is done right The boy is timid, and awk-
ward, and pushes his head against the COW,
and squeeZes her teats very hard but no
drop of milk follows "Set up. Don't
jam your head into the COW, and don't pull
her teats off, growls the father. The boy
is painfully conscious of his failure, and in
his efforts to fetch the milk at some rate,
grasps the teats in very desperation the
cow cant stand the PRESSURE and away
she goes leaving the young milk-man
sprawling in the dirt; and the father, red
with anger, blurts out, "Get up you awk-
ward BOBBY, you'll never know enough to
last you over night" Had he given the
boy some general instructions about milk
ing, and gone about his business leaving
him to do it in his own way, the chances arc
he would have succeeded well.
The mother is teaching her daughter to
sew over and over. She sets her to work
on some interminable seam in sheet.
The child has never had needle in her
fingers, save to make rag dolls, and she
has sewed them to suit herself and sews
the sheet the same way. After little,
the mother comes to inspect her work.
Don't you know any better than to
sit down to sew with such dirty hands?
Just look at your work. Go and wash
your hands, and then come back and rip
out every stitch you have done. should
think girl of your size ought to know
better"
The girl is hurt, mortified, angry, as
she has right to be under such treatment
Had the mother given her some article
of her own to make, had she said at the
outset "Lucy, wash your hands clean so
as not to soil your work sit here in this
low chair by the window, so you can see
take short stitches, and not too deep,
and when you have got to the pin,
come and let me see how well you have
done it.
The directions are few and simple, the
child understands them, the garment is her
own, she is ambitious to do well and soon
comes with proudly swelling heart to
show her work to her mamma. Mamma
says, at is very well done for the first
trial here are long stitches, but you will
do better next time" When Lucy is gone
out, the mother takes out a stitch here
and there, so the work looks right, and
Lucy is happy all day for the praise she
has won; and the next time she will do
her best to excel her former efforts.
Some women are so sot in their ways"
that it is as much as ones life is worth TO
live with them. You will hear them en-
phatically declare, off | can't have my
work done as want it, it shant be done at
all" And acting upon that egotistical prin-
ciple they worry their daughters, and
badger their servants. If you mildly sug-
gest that Bridget may have way of her
own that is easier for her. and quite as well
for you, they will respond, II pay my SER
wants to do my work, and they shall do it
my way or they shall pack. I'll be mis-
tress of my own house" They may be
mistresses of their own houses, bit they
are not mistresses of their very vulgar tenn
pers.
] suppose people who work for living,
have some little peculiarities of their own,
in which they would much like to be in
dulged, and sometimes have tempcraments
as fine and sensitive as their employers.
Would it not be well for those who have
many persons in their employ to consider
them less as machines, and more as men and
women with whims and fancies similar to
their own, and not be forever suggesting TO
them that some other way is far better than
theirs. The best temper in the world
would be spoiled-the very cream of a
sweet disposition soured by continued fault
finding.