The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-05-31
For the True Northerner.
LET THE CHILDRE.v.fLO O.N.E."
BY RUsTICtA.


per which is weekly visitant TO my
reading table, this caption caught my
eye; and having strong love for, and
interest in, the little people, | read the
matter it headed with close attention.
This short, spicy article asserted that TO
subject children 10 manifold rules and
regulations such as I had ever before
been taught to consider salutary initial
lessons in education, was cruelty |
was startled Ny own darlings, whom
| had 80 deyotedly, 50 unse!fshly loved
had | been cruel 10 them ? To be sure
| had never frightened them 10 death
by looking a thousand scoHls and thun.
derboltsp at them for table misdemean-
ors therein specified because from the
hour they were old enough to receive
solid food, ] had tenderly ceaselessly
watched that they formed no such habits
which | then deemed uuaeemly. But
had | not deprived them Of privileges
which we accord even to the youthful
relatives of that gergeseue troop we vot
of, and thereby abridged much OF their
liberty As long as their conduct IL
harmless a. 10 others, encourage their
eheerines' teaches this friend to the
sodlcrs. All right, 50 far, bNt what is
not harmful 10 the knife, fork" or dis.
tant street." might possibly be digust.
ingly sickening to some unfortunate BIZ
ped in their near vicinity and perhaps
some benighted grown heathen, might
even be cruel enough 10 feel aggrieved
by deluge' at mealtime, the smash
ing Of crockery, and ruin Of table
linen, which our philanthropist seems to
think quite harmless. Here [ was in q
shallow muddlc, but | wore through by
the reflection that such unreasonable,
misinformcd fogies were OF no conse-
quence, and rather ought to be annoyed.
Saddened by the remembrance Of former
derelictiOns sas cogitating 3n the past,
and must have slept, at least dreamed.
Speedily ] was the happy mother of a
group of beautiful boys and girls, rang
ing up from the wee manipuIators of
spoon and cup, and toy knife and fork,
to the dignity Of ordinary dinner uten-
sis. Suitably attired, and by special
invitation, we were all enjoying a holi-
day treat at the house of a dear friend,
the richness Of whose furniture, and the
purity and elegance of whose table ap-
pointments, were charming. Pride, laud-
ible pride, mingled with my Joy for
these dear ones, my life crown, had been
reared under the let.alone regime, and
no sting of remembered " cruelty
troubledme AtAomo, if they clamored
for desert before soup. they had IL; II
could harm neither course, and was no.
perfect freedom from proprietary rule.
their right, and to hamper" them witt
arbitrary regulations" a sin Thci
organs of cautiousnass and order hal
never been prematurcy enlarged by an,
false precopts Of the old school, and thei
infant cheeriness Il. g. their propcnsitie
to deluge" and " smash had been per
mittcd, nay, encouraged to perfcc
! growth.
The feast began, and my hosts, an,
my own little ones were the brightes
establishment Of the festive scene.-
Good children practice abroad as the,
have been taught at home, and min
were best of the good, for no "rules
had spoiled them. The baby king @
, the spoon, and the queen of the smal
knife and fork, would not eatsoup neithc
would they dispense with it so far as t
allow its removal, but screamed an
snarled for pie and pudding till the
prevailed. Then baby amused himseI
E by stufiug pie in his mouth with on
hand while with the other he poure
g his soup from plate to goblet and etc,
: rersa, till both lay in fragments on tn
costly carpet which, with the beautifr
damask tablecloth, exhibited numbcrlcs
new patterns that must have dclighte
7 any kind hearted modern matron, VII
il does not believe in hampering a chill
e q 50 long as his acts do no harm. Thong
= the rich cut-glass, and the rare old famil
! china sets we're broken into, it was
: the same to them it didn't 90 to d
it," then the confusion and angry shriek
A Il