Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-12-22
THE GAZETTE.
CEDAR FALLS DEC. 20, 1871.
PrOcrastinatiOn.
BY MRS, II. w BEECHER.


and the earlier Ii is fought and con
quered the better. There are some
sensible mothers whose constant en-
deavor is to prevent this habit from
gaining a foothold In their children 4
characters. From earliest childhood
they watch and nip it in the bud
Those who have lived an active life
every moment claiming its own
special work-a the mothers who
can best train their children to un-
derstand the full value ofthe prompt
regular performance of each duty,
however small.
"Come little one, il is time To gel
up," The child Is perhaps disin.
clined-thinks one more little mar
would be comfortable. But it ii
time to prepare for breakfast, and
what is gained by delay is nothing
but the first lesson in selfish indul
gence and procrastination. The
child does not need it, If it went tc
bed, as 1t should have done, when
the birds folded their heads under
their wings, 1t requires no more
sleep. A few gentle words or Ca
resses Will soon chase all traces oI
slumber from those bright eyes, and
the little one, merry as the birds, Ii
soon ready Tor breakfast. ..-.
While children are very young be.
gin this education, and see that il Ii
distinctly understood that no excuse
but illness can avail. They must be
up at q given hour, and by the time
they are twelve years old you will
find it difficult to keep your little
girls and boys in bed beyond the
regular time. You have thus estab.
lish habit of early rising which
will cling to them through life
that is, if their mother gently and
lovingly impressed upon their minds
what they would lose by delay and
gain by promptness. But although
stern and severe compulsion may
secure obedience while under your
eye, by that course you make the act
so disagreeable and repulsive, by as
sociating 1t with your stern manner
that they are tempted to rush to the
other extreme whenever they can do
so with impunity.
Children naturally love play bet
ter than work or study {; but it is
better that they early learn that
there is something besides play
which even little girls aud boys can
and must do. They of course, with
no evil intention, will be inclined to
stretch the play hour or recess lit
tie beyond the appointed time. It
is the parents duty to watch and
guard against this, not on account of
the real good which a young child
might accomplish in these few extra
moments. but for the sake of estab.
fishing habit which will be of inf
mite service for the child i'm after
years; that the discipline, though for
the present not joyous, may work for
its future happiness and usefulness.
Therefore, make the hours for resre.
alton as frequent as seemeth you
good, only let it be distinctly under.
stood that when that time expires
there must be no delay, no procras-
tination. AS the child grows older
and able to exercise little judg-
ment, 1t will soon become conscious
of the loss incurred by dilateriness,
and the gain secured by a prompt
performance of duty. A judicious
mother will soon teach it how to
contrast the two modes of action,
and few unfortunate experiments
will soon corroborate her teachings.
The penalty to be paid for leaving
any duty which should be done now
until "by and by,n generally follows
very speedily after the omission.
When quite young we were given
piece of work one morning which
should not have occupied an hours
time. In the afternoon our brothers
were to 60 to neighboring town in
q sleigh and we were promised ride
with them on condition that this
work was finished In season, 1t was
q rich treat, and we were greatly clat-
ed. The work we were set to do was
so easy we made merry over the idea
of failure. But the sun did shine
so brightly, and IL was so pleasant TO
stand at the east windows and watch
the men at the huge wood-pile' saw
ing and splitting the winter store of
wood; and 1t was such fun to see the
old gander, chase our little roguish
brother away from the place where
the stately old fellow kept watch and
ward over his mate on her nest, that
every few minutes our sewing was
forgotten and we were seated on the
old fashioned wiudow-sill. A gentle
voice often reminded us that we
were wasting time, and must be left
behind If that simple seam was not
finished in season. .....
30 mother, / can finish it just as
easy !"
eyes, dear, II you work steadily,
but not il you delay In this man
ner.n Dear, patient mother! How
much easier fCr her to have taken
our neglected work and done 1t her.
self than to keep such q vigilant
watch over a giddy girl; but for a
child's good a mother bears all
things. TT. . -sss...a.s. F..
Time few by unregardsd by our
idle fingers. Presently sleigh
dashed up to the door, the bells jing>
ling merrily. It cannot be time |!
But o CHEEKY voice rang out, "Come,
sister, not q minute to spare, land
that little, little bit of work not
quite done! #
"Oh, mother! mother! Only a
few more stitches! See! Oh moth
er let me go!" But, even while we
uttered the piteous wall, we knew
mother could not break her word.
When she took her sobbing little
girl on her lap, and explained how
necessary it was that we should snf-
fer the penalty of our persistent
procras tination, if we ever would de-
stroy this bad habit, we were con-
scious that her grief was deeper than
our own. that she suffered with US.
We did not soon forget that lesson,
and it did not require many more
similar ones to effect pretty SUBJ
stantial cure.
No one is more strongly tempted
to put off till q more convenient
season here and there. some minor
duty than q house keeper whose
cares are many, and helpers are very
very few. By afternoon she is so
weary, rest would be very pleasant,
but just as she thinks she may in.
dulge in q half.bour's quiet, some
little item rises up that should re-
ceive attention to-day, II have a
mind to let IL pass till tomorrow, .,
but Tomorrow has its own duties
and unexpected ones may arise. A
few experiments In this most excu-
sable of all procrastinatioRs will
teach the folly OF the attempt to add
to the already filled register of the
next day's work the duties Of the
present time.
The clothes are brought up from
the wash on sorting them out aud
putting them In place you Ind .
small hole In this article, or q rip In