Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-02-13
Helping Children to Lie.

AuctC aiC IcW CuIIuTcu VIII Will uOt tcii
lies-the testimony Of their parents to the
contrary Notwithstanding. But of two
facts / am reasonably sure, First, that
chillren's falsehoods are often as much
the parents fault as their own; and Sec
ondly, that children do not lie as much as
grown up people do.
Lies are instruments ofattack or defence,
and so may be classed rs offensive or de-
fcnsivc. Chillren's lies arc almost always
defcnsiye, and for the most part arc en-
ploycd in defending themselves against pa
rents. nurses, elder brothers or sisters, and
schoolmasters, and in multitudes of instan-
ccs are mere attempts to hide themselves
from sharp censurc or sharper whipping.
Take case from life Master Harry is
sent to mill ono day in winter, but with
strict injunctions not to stop and skate.
But the pond was so inviting, the boys
there were so merry, they so persuasively
coaxcd him, that it was not in his social
little heart to refuse. OF course he skates
longer than he intended On reaching
home he is questioned: "Why have you
been so long. Harry"
"Oh-the grist was not ground, and l
had to wait
Did you so on to the pond?'
"No. sir did not"
Here is pretty tangle Of lies! The
old gentleman runs his hand into the bag
and finds the meal stone cold. He rides
over to the mill to inquire about matters,
and finds the grist had been ground the
day before; he rides home aud calls upon
the urchin, who knew that grist was to
be ground that would be hot enough
Here was disobclicncc first, then Il lie !;
and next, upon cross-questioning, asecond-
AIRY lie, explanatory and dcfensory of the
first. Of course. punishment was earned
AMI deserved. But the boy did not lie be-
cause he liked to. or because he was n'lif-
fcrent to the truth. He was suborned by
fear. lie shrank from punishment and
tried to hide behind lie. The refuge
proved trcachcrous. as it ought to have
done.
But, now, is there lesson to parents in
this thing? Shall they hastily place their
children between such unequal motives as
conscience aud fear? The lower instincts,
in children, are relatively farstrongcr than
moral sentiment. Conscience is weak and
impractical, while fear is powerful, and ut
times literally irresistible.
The fear Of pain, the fear Of shame. the
fear of ridiculc. drive children into false
hoods. Those who govern them might. at
least, remember how it was in their own
eases, aud so manage as to help conscience
against fear, rather than by stcrnncss aud
threats make the temptation irresistible.
Children are very delicate instruments.
Their minds are undcvelopeL, ungovcrncd
and actively sensitive, Men play upon
them as if they were tough as drums, and
like drums. made for beating. They are
to be helped more than blamed. One in
sympathy with their little souls will lead
them along safely amid temptations to false
hood, where rude and impetuous nature
will plunge them hcadlong into wrong.
The one element Of real manhood, above
nll others. is truth. A child should not be
left to learn how to be true, how to resist
temptations, how to give judgment in favor
of right and virtue. Here Is the place
where helps nccded-ratience, sympathy.
counsel, encouragcment.-H W. Heechcr.
CASH AND CREplr.-Ane exchange has
received copy Of an English paper, Tie
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