Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1872-03-14

The Government OF CHILDREN
government of children says Henry
Ward Beecher. has been a source Of dis
sension in the household since the world
began. and will be. presumably. till tho
new ''heaven and the new earth" are pro-
dsced. Children ought to be Al element
Of harmony in the family. aud 20 bring to
the parents united counscls and co-opera-
tive love. In many cases this is the hap
py result. Where it does not produce
this effect. it may be from any Of a varie-
ty of causes.
The mother, sometimes, has an intense
and excitablc affection for her children.
which, when reused up by anything that
to her seems Ike au injury, takes on tho
form of fierce instinct, such as we see in
the lower animal kingdom.
At other times, the mother feels in NJ,
intense degree her special and peculiar
ownership in the child. And truly tho
mother has a right that the father has not.
She travelled she bore it she suffered.
Chiefly upon her fell the WEAKNESS. tho
watching. the anxiety, the task Of early
training and instruction. Her life is like
fountain poured ont for the child. and
whenever she sees or fears that her long
labor Of pain and patience is liable to be
prevented by the intrusion of one who.
though father. and in law made even su-
perior to her in the control Of children. il
rouses resistance which springs from tho
roots of moral sensibility A woman may
often press this right unduly. But no
just and thoughtful man will fail to recog-
nize a reason Of justice in womans claim
to have much of the management Of tho
children. provided she is really seeking
their advantage.
Since men do not as yet produce angels.
but only little unripe men over again.,
children must always be source Of more
or less trouble. Inconvenience and annoy
ance in The house Both parents must
take their share Of the patience inevitably
required. Among other things, childrens
noise must be borne with. They must not
be too sharply curbed and yet. for their
own good and the welfare Of the family.
they must not be lawlcss nor boistcrous
within doors. Oct Of doors, and in pla--
rooms remote from hearing, let them
shout. 1t is good practice for the lungs.
But in, or near, the common sitting room,
they should be trained TO qnietness. II
is best that they should early feel the re-
sponsibility of contributing 70 the COMMON
good. .. .rr
The household is a little commonwealth
The child is new citizen. He must ear
IL be taught the duties of citizenship. Il
is an evil influence which permits the child
to sacrifice every persons comfort in the
house for the selfish sake of its own enjoy
men.. 1t may be pleasant for the child
for the moment, but il sacrifices . higher
good. A child cannot learn too early Or
der, subordination, obedience, and vii
ling contribution Of its own pleasure. for
the good of others If restraint, or even
discipline be needed TO secure these re-
suits, it is best that the child be subject
to them. Health and freedom may be Sc
cured without allowing children to make
nuisauees of themselves. For another
reason it is cruel for parents to leave their
children untraincd and boisterous; such
children invariably are objects Of dislike
to all about them. They are the neigh
horhood talk. Noparent by neglect Of disei.
pline has a RICH, to-subjeet his child to SC
much odium. We take sides with 7ths
parent WHO desires an orderly family
where children are not vexatious despots
where a mau may feel reasonably safe from
an Eruption Of bears and bufaloes in hu
man form and where the sharp irritabl'
. selfshness of over-indulged children shai
not be lis daily portion. iv 90