The Shasta courier., 1869-09-18
Show no Fa,oritism.

A lady of rank had two sons, from SIX to
eight years of age named John and Fred
erlck, the former of whom she doated on
with an extravagant degree of fondness,
while she carried her neglect and contempt
to as great an extreme towards his brother.
John she was in the habit of calling ex
clusively, +" My son. as if she had deem
ed him alone entitled to that endearing
appellation. As for Frederick, though he
wasa child of the best dispositions and every
way worthy of her affection, she held him
In such contempt and detestation. as some
times to scream when he came into her
presence, and desire that ''odious thing" to
be taken out of her sight All this was the
m IRE strange, as John did not seem to re-
gard her with any remarkable degree of
affection, but, on the contrary, would some
times repel her caresses, as more trouble
some than agreeable to him, and, in gen.
eaal, rather shuDned than sought her com
pany. One day, when she was in bed very
seriously indisposed, she heard the door
open, and young foot enter the apart
ment Having longed exceedingly all the
morning to see her favorte child, who.
instead of inquiriug for her, had been
amusing himself out of doors, she now, sup
posed that this must be he, and accodingly
exclaimed, in voice of passionate tender
nesss and delight, " My son, is it you ?"
No, mamma" was the timid answer re
turned to her inquiry, it is only Fred
erick." The poor child had crept, with
the longngs Of undeserved affection, to his
mothers chamber, expecting to meet some
one who could inform him how she was
and, now, terrow struck lest her dlsappoint
ment at finding h.m where she expected
his more beloved brother would draw forth
her anger, and perhaps increase her illness,
he was, after giving the above reply, about
to leave the room The mother however,
was touched by the unconscious accusation
contained in her child words, and spring.
ing from the bed, she cLsped him in her
arms with an ardour as extreme as her
former coldness, assuring him, with tears
Of pentence and affection, that he too was
her son, and never again should be neg
lected. From that time forward, she was
never observed to manifest the least par
tiality for either of her children.
If this story be true-whch it has all
the appearance of being, it proves that the
reason, when once efectually reused upon
this subject, has the power Of overcoming
this passion which inspires parents with
these erroneous attachments. We there
fore, call upon all parents, at this Ueyy
moment, to take themselves to task, and if
they be self-convicted Of any undue pre-
ference of one child over another, let them
exert their understandings to put down the
unjust dictates of their feelings, and en-
deavor to equalize their affections over the
whole of those who have claim upon
them. An injustice towards any individ-
ual in the little flock of which they have
been made the keepers, is one of the most
fragrant cruelties, and one of the most dan
gerous errors, than can be committed 1t
is the former, because no cruelty can be SO
shameful as that which is exercised upon
a creature which neither provokes nor can
resent it. 1t is the latter, because it is apt
to derangc all the best objects which we
are enjoined to hold in view in the culture
Of youth. and thus occasion serious dam-
age to the general interest.