The union Democrat., 1869-01-23
AMERICAN CHILDREN.
observations on Their Manners BY David
Nacrue, ScotChmnn.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF THEIR rREcoclrY.

American children are undoubtedly preco-
cious. | think this pecul:aritv. though part
| y owing to the quickening effect of climate,
| is dne to some extent to the American prac-
tice of bringing children to the table from
their infancy. A New England lady, who
| boasted of eleven children Ia very rare thing
| in New England, J tcld me that every one of
them had been brought to the table at seven
months old, and at thirteen months could
handle their forks neatly as she could !
Brought to the table so soon, and hearing all
that goes on, they begin at preternaturally
early age to take an interest in general af-
fairs, and to acquire the ideas and language
of grown people. An old doctor of divinity
in Canada said that, calling one day Mt a
friends house, little girl was sent in to amuse
him till her mother 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 opeu fire. it dropped from her hand and
was burned. Burned !" exclaimed the doc
tor ''if had been the fire | should have
| stopped till you had got it out again - "&,
no, Doctor" said the child gravely, ''you
conldn't have done that Nature, you know
is nature. and her laws are inviolable ~ 1t
| nearly knocked the Doctor out of his chair.
the State of New York-being amused at the
| exquisite combination of epicureanism and
forethought on the part of little boy of nine.
"mother," said he, ''give me only a little of
the mince pie, as shall want to taste of the
pudding"
The eh;ldren's remarks on political sub
iects ticked me most. for the reason, perhaps,
that | never really heard anything of the sort
from children at home. A small boy of light
vii! stand 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 dur
| ing the time of the impeachment trial, began
one evening at supper to npbraid his father
for supporting Andrew johnson
! In enc 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, occur
red in Boston. where little girl, not much
higher than my knee, with whom was play
ing game on the carpet, asked me, with a
serious counteaance. what effect | thought
the acquisition of Russian America would
have on Great Britain. | laughed, the cues
tion was so odd but. on seeing the little ewes
looking up into my face in mute surprise, |
recovered myself as suddenly as possible. and
endeavered to put matters to rights by say
ing that the thing might possibly lead to
some snowhalling between the two ma
tons. But the little politician in petticoats
evidently thought this was tri!ing with a
grave subject and said no more.
There Is one unpleasant feature of Ameri-
can preeocity--it tends much more frequently
! har n sc
verence fer parents. "Papa, don't be fool
ish. | heard one little girl saw, when her
father was attempting to describe to me
how some comical Frenchman had spoken in
public. You vii! some times hear child
say to its parent, You get away :" or Don
trouble me Just now" The parent neve,
seemed to me to feel this as a Scotch paren,
would.
| remember an iadulgent father bring
ing in bunch of grapes for his little boy
"Come, you are good fellow, after all, f." sale
the child, cheerfuily. The parent seemed tc
me rather grarifed at 50 kind a recognition
on the part of the son.
remember another brave little fellow o.
four years old, who sat near me at dinner or
a tall, slim nursery chair, and saying Give
me some ot that tart, mama, and ring the
bell for Emma ; | want some fresh water
This is only one case gu: of many that heir
to explain what New England lady meant
when she said. II am learning to lie a do
cile parent!'' parents, obey your children
IN all things" is the new idea. 1t is not
after all, so great stretch TO anticipate, a.
somebody suggests, that we shall by-and-by
see on the sign-hoard of some American store
John Smith & Father"
Another incident occurs to me in connec
tion with the same little fellow who directed
his mother to ring the bell. One dav. when
dinner was over, his mother said to him,
"Wipe your mouth darling" precoci,y
looked bra.ely at her. ''Say please. !
"Well. darling, please" Precocity wiped
his lps solemnly. as if an important mora
lesson had been given, and requested to be
lifted down from his chair
There is much less of this la the Soutb
where subordina.ion is more recognized. ant
where the modes of thought and feeling arc
more like our own. But this is the growing
idea in the North. Independence, reciprocity
the sinking of old and even natural distine
tions in Democratic equality. Do to m,
whatever you expect me to do to you.
/ Let 1t not be supposed, however, thar