Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-12-19
4 FAMILY PICTURE.
BY THE LATE JUDGE A. 3 LONGsTREET OF
MISSISSIPPI

oescFihe UeoTgian family. 1t is fal
specimen u Georgian families generally, at th
heads or which are pareuts OF good sense. gnO
morals, and we'll Improved minds To be sure
there are in Georgia as many notions abou
parental government as here are in any othe
country, and he practice is as various as th
Opinions Same parents exercise no govern
ment at all others contine themselves exclusive
ly TO the COVER nmenc o. the tongue and other
rule by the rod alone: bat by far the larger clas
blend these several modes Of government, anC
prefer the one Or the other according to times
and circumsta To this class belonged Mr.
and Mrs. Butler, the heads of the family which
| am abou, to descrioe Gilbert was the Chris
tian name Of the husband, and Eliza Of the
wife. was intimately acquainted with them
both before heir union, and was ever afterwards
admitted to their household with the freedom
OF one OF Its members indeed, | was connec-
ton Of one OF them. -
They had been married shout eight months
when a dull November evening found me at
their fireside Ia the course Of tie evening the
converation turned upon raising chiIdren. 7 BY
the way, Eliza, said Gilbert. Il baxe been
thinking for some time past of inteYchauRing
views with yeu upon this subject; and there
| never can be better time than now, while
/ Abraham Is with u.s. whose opinions we both
respect, and who will act as umpire between
ua. q
s'Wel, said Eliza. LET me hear yours
| 1t we should ever be blessed with children"
Eliza blushsd little let it be a fundamen-
tai law between usthat neither of US ever inter
tere with the discipline of the other, either by
look, word, or action, in the presence Of the
children
''rothat rule / most heartily subscribe"
when achild is corrected by one Of US, let
not he other extend to il the least coincidence
Or sympathy"
In that also you have my hearty concur
renee.
Let US never correct child in a passion"
"The pr0Dricty of that rule fully admit, but
fear shat shall not always be able to conform
tn Its acquisitions. | will, however, endeavur
to do so.
well, it yoa will do your best | shall be
satisfied y
'Let US, as far as Ii is practicable introduce
among our children The universally admitted
princi Piles Of good government among men.'
That is y very ind finite rule, husband |
know very little of the principles ct good gov
eminent ato0ng men, aud much les Of those
principles which are universally admitted.
We'll, | will be little more specific. be
eve il Is universally adutted that TAGS should
precede punishment. aud tina. none should be
punished who are incapable Of understanding
the Law. In acoordaLce with these principles
would never punish cliid who IS incapable OF
distinguishing between right and wrong, nor
until he shall have been torewarned OF the wrong
aid taught to avoid it.
These principles seem very reasonable 10
NE" said Eiiza, but they never can be applied
to children. you CO not correct child IN
til 1t Is old enough to learn from prcc9pt the
d 'tference between right and wrong, there Will
be no living IN the house with it for the first
FIVE or sig years OF ',io, aud nc controlling ii
afterwards.
Gilbert received these views Of his wife with
some alarm, and entered upon long argument
to convince her that they we're erroneous. She
maintained her own very well, but Gilbert had
certainly the advantage: 0t her in the argument.
AL he could sap, how 3ver, did not III she least
shake her confidence III her opinion
| was at ie:tg, b apiaaled to, and gave judg-
ment ia favor oi Gilbert,
We'll, said she, Il never was better salts
fed ot anything 10 my lie than | am that you
are both wrong But let US compromise this
matter III agree to this: If ever | correct
child before 1t is old enough to receive instruc-
tion from precept, and you do not approve of
my conduct, | will then promise you never to
do the lii again
"WelI," sad Gilbert, 'that is very fair One
more rule viii settle he Fundamentals, aud we
may safely trust all others To future adj justment.
Let US never address our children in the non
seuscaI gIbbcri>h thaj is 80 universally prevalent
among parents. and particularly among moth
ers. |; Is very silly Il The first place, and Il
greatly EetardS chld Improvement in the
second Were it not :or this have no deubt
children would speak their mother-tongue as
correctly at tour years Old as hey do at sixteen
III Ia smiled, and observed that this was such
q Smal mater hat Ii FAD also better be ieit TO
future adjustment. L. ihi> Gilbert rather Ie-
luctantly aSseutod
About two months yf1er this conversation
Gilbert was blessed with fine son, whom he
nat,3ed john james Gilbert, after the two
eraudia hers s@d hiusait-a proiuSion OF names
= hich he had cause afterwards to repent.
JueG fourteen month, aad six days thereafter
ne was ''biessed with flee daughter, whom
Eiiza teamed Ana Frances Euza, after Lbs. Two
erandnUlbers aad herself.
Fifteen months the eater he received third
blessing. Ike unto The first, which be called
George Heogy, a.ief his two brothers.
Th,r;e4n months and nineteen days affer the
birth Of George. fourth blessing descended up
on Gilbert, In the form OF fine sou. This took
the name of Wllllam Augustus, after two broth
ers OF bis wife.
Isiza now made a long rest of nineteen months,
four days. and 1--WE hours & speak from the
family record, when by way of amends she
presented her husband par or blessings. AS
soon as his good fortune was made known to
him. Gilbert ex pressed regret that he had not
| reserved his own name until now, IN order that
the twins might bear bis name and mine. See
Ing this could not be, he bestowed my name up
on the first bornsapag gave ine the privilege OF
nanling the see5aG a. considered "a good
| name rather TO be ch0sen than great riches, L
called the nnoniDa'e Esaac-ater the patriarch,
and beloved uncle Of mine.
anHt eyld. Ia
did Mrs, Butler close The list Of her sons.
She now turned her attention to daughters,
and 10 the short space Of five years produced
three that Queen might have been proud Of
| Their names II the order cf their births we're
! I,0ui>a Rebpcoa, and Sarah. Ii Was one ct
Mrs. Buffers maZins. III you have anything
| 10 do, do it at once" aud she seemed TO have
been governed By this maZln III making up her
family, for Sarah completed the number Of her
children
John was about year old when was again
| at Gilbert for the evening. he was seated by
the supper-,abie with the child IN his arms, ad-
dressing some remark to me, when L called his
attenti n TO The child, who was just IN the act
of putting its fingers into he blaze OF the candle
| Gilbert ierked him away suddenly, which so
disappoin ed and ipcersed Nas'er John James
| Gilbert that he screamed lDsufieraby. Gilbert
tossed him, patted hin,, walked hl1n, and whls-
tied TO him, but he could not distract his atten-
ton from the candle. He removed him out of
sight OF the !uminary, hut that only made mat
ter worse. He now commenced his trst lessen
in the ''pYiDciples Of good government He
brought the child towards the candle, and the
nearer it approached the more paclfed it be-