Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-05-05

Tell me. would you ash lur more
should lou' Gould you
lfyou owned thc laly" would YOU
Power Of Fathers Example.
In beautiful village, ia one Of our New
England States, situated on an eminence
which oycrlooks noble river, there lived
two gentlemen of wealth, intelligence. and
respectability. Each of them had accom-
plished wives, aud interesting aud promising
children These two fathers were devoted to
their families, and expended no treasure with
greater pleasure than when it was advanced
to promote the happiness and good Of those
dependent upon them. Their business was
extensive, aud conducted on principles which
secured the confidence aud respect of the COM
munity. The house Of the one was wide from
his store, and in going buck and forth, he
frequently met the other, whose place of bus.
ness and residence interviewed The one who
lived remote from his store, Mr. s., was pas
sonatey fond of his cigar, and was often,
when met by his friend, Mr.. c. enjoying the
luxury of smoking Mr. c. was addicted to
no such practice, and was grieyed that his
friend would not be persuaded to give up
what he considered pcruicious indulgence.
1t so happened, for reasons which will appear
in the sequel of our narrative, that Mr.. S.
passed back and forth with no protubcrance
from his mouth, as had been his long custom,
which, having been noticed repeatedly, excit-
ed the curiosity Of Mr.. c. to know the cause.
Meeting him one day Mr.. c. thus opened the
interview with his friend -
." | have noticed Mr.. S. when have met
you of late that you are without your cigar.
When have so often talked with you on the
subject Of smoking, and have found you so
decided in the conviction that you were bene-
fited by the operation, have wondered when
have met you Of late, without fire aud smoke
/ from your mouth, for the reason of your
change Have you given up smoking ?"
g. have" replied Mr. s., d" have given
up smoking but do not think ever should,
had it not been for my little sons My old
est, you know, is eleven, and my Youngest
seven. The other day, when | came home
from my store at night, their mother told me
u story about the boys, which set me to think
/ ing2D
What was % inquired Mr. G.
Why, it was nothing very bad, but the
narrative by my wife" said Mr.. s., of what
she saw her little sons about had great
effect on my mind
We'll, what was it2'
She said to me-" replied Mr.. s., after
my return from the store, the other night, as
| was sitting by the window, looking out into
our garden" Husband, l think, If you knew
what our sons had been about this afternoon,
aud knew, too, how they replied to me, as |
came upon them Unexpectedly, that you would,
hereafter, never again smoke. | was almost
glad when | saw the boys doing what knew
would greatly displease you, aud what GER
tainly filled me with horror, because | thought
their conduct would have good effect upon
you. You know | have said everything to
you to induce you to abandon the use of to-
bacco, and all my arguments have had no
effect
Said MY dear, what is it the boys
have been doing2" thought | could guess,
but did not let her know what were my sus-
picions
Mrs. S replied, " was in the garden this
afternoon, about three o'clock, at work among
my flowers, and thought | smolt tobacco
smoke, knew you were there, after dinner,
with your cigar, but | could not think its
fumes would last so long The scent was so
strong, | concluded there must be some one in
there then, smoking So / left my flowers
and went along towards the corner Of the gar
den, where are our peach trees, aud there
saw what almost made me faint"
"What did you see' | asked our boys
smoking ?"
"Yes, said Mrs. s., "my dear husband,
saw Frederick, and Thomas aud lille George
all three smoking. When ! first saw them,
they did not see me so | had a full view of
them. Afler my eyes were upon them, |
shrieked out, and hearing my voice, they all
jumped aud threw away their cigars, and
looked abashed and conlounded wheu came
upon them"
"Well," said |, A." that was spectacle, to
be sure. Did not the boys 60 to school this
afternoon ?"
Yes" said Mrs. s. "Thoy said they did,
but came away at recess"
"What did tbay say for themselves, when
you discovered them2 ?" | inquired.
Said Mrs s." | was so cOniounded when
found them, that after my first shrek, did
not speak again for five minutes. The boys
looked guilty aud ashamed, and did not open
their mouths. After awhile, | spoke and
asked them how all this happened For II
while, not one would speak. At last, little
George broke out, Papa smoke cigars !;
and then Frederick, emboldened by his little
brothers courage, continued, don't think
its any worse for US to smoke, than It's for
pa So | thought" replied Mrs, s., :" but
did not say so to the boys, told them 20
60 directly into the house, aud sit down in
the back parlor."
Have you said anything to them since p
| asked.
81 have not, replied Mrs s. 81 thought
| would aoquaint you with their conduct and
their reasons, and let you obviate them if you
could for | could not | do not think the
boys ought to be blamed for following any
practice which it is right for their father to
pursue
"Well, do not know about that, replied
|. care there not many things which q
man may do, which il would not be proper
for boy2 On that principle, boys would 90
to Congress- and our State Legislature
"0l do not refer to mental practices
know" said Mrs. s., there are works in
society to be done, laws to be made and en-
forced, which belong exclusively to men, and
which boys could not do. | meant. my dear,
that every father ought in all matters Of
morals and religion, to do nothing which it
would be wrong for his sons to do. You
know what / mean"
Yes" said Mr.. s. to Mr. c., 20 whom
he narrated this conversation, knew what