Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-11-22

wife thinks so, aud never knew her to
make mistake. She's been q powerful
time making up her mind, though
Suke, every thing is on the table now,
and here is place for you, right beside
me- -
That's not my place, Squire Culvert.'
responded Suke, quickly, uttering for
the first time the name of the one they
were all thinking of: that Is your son
Stephens seat
Suke didn't seem to wonder that every
body looked at her in surprise; for just
then the sound of the piano was plainly
heard, and a clear, ringing voice in the
parlor singing:
o go your way into his gates with
thanksgiving, and into his courts with
praise, Be ye sure that the Lord he is
God; is ia he that hath made us, and not
weourselves; we are his people and the
sheep of his PASTURE
sStephenr whispered the Squire; My
boyr sobbed the mother: Ny brother.
screamed each sister; My Owno smiled
Eva; and in a moment more the long
absent child was surrounded.
Il am earning my own bread-and-b
ter, were the first words he said to Eva.
will you marry me uow?' and she ans
swered Yes and that was every word
she said. 20 1-e
Suke couldn't be prevailed on to sit
with them at dinner I'm too choked
up was her only answer.slaI'd rather
be stirring But every now and then,
a. she fitted from room to room, and
room to pantry, her voice was distinct
ly heard singing, so 90 your way into
his gates with thanksgiving, and into
his courts with praise @' 4
THE MIsERIEs OF CHILDHsO0D.
: 1t Is one of the incongruous superficial
titles of Christian civilization that child.
hood, like women, are subjected to a
poetic sentiment, verbally eXalting them
into what they are not, and practically
uncognizant of everything that they are.
Ideally beautified in the abstract as the
highest human types of perfect inno-
cence, unqrestioning faith, and implicit
trust, in the concrete they are fulsomely
iiumOred like equivoeai beings, whom
the least constraint might develop into
enemies, or sternly disciplined as though
they were creatures wanting only oppor-
-tnnity for. treachery aud guile Of any
description. Thus, between the general
sentiment and the individual practice
there is a most perplexing contradiction,
and sooner or later the child finds it out,
and is affected by grave sense of mis-
appreciative treatment and Injustice in
consequence. Fear seems to be the one
great emotion essential to his govern
ment. Either his parents appear to fear
him, and so yield incontinently to his
every whim and exaction, or they COM
pei him to fear them, and spare no PEN
atty to keep that feeling predominant in
his filial sensibilities. In neither per-
sonality of the abject sensation can he
retain an opinion of himself calculated
to stimulate an ennobling pride. II his
elders fear him his instinct prompts him
to exercise chiefly those lower and sell
fish attributes of his nature by which
his advantage seems to have been estab-
lished; and If he is in terror of them it
is his natural tendency to associate obe-
dience and good conduct with a siavish
eompulsiOn, making them no virtues in
| him. Such facts are requisite for con-
| sideration when we would understand
| the innumerable apparent incongruities
of parental rectitude and filial tlegener-
acy, and they are as essential to q just
comprehension of such incidents as the
following: In Southern city, few
days ago, two lads, each about sixteen
| years old, the sons OF eminently respect
able citizens, left town on foot together,
with the wild idea of marching heroic
ally to the wilds OF Texas and there en-
tering upon career of romantic Indian
adventure. Such boy ish freaks are no,
uncommon, and there is the one way OF
thwarting them. Telegraph and police
were used to overtake the adventurous
youths, both Of whom were presently on
their way back to the city, on the cars,
in custody of an officer. 'They have
| caught us this time" said one to the
other, shut we'll get away again." and
turning to the officer began questioning
him about his pistol. SIS it a good one ?s
he asked. Being told that it was, he
begged leave to hold it in his hand; and
when this request was thoughtlessly
complied with suddenly pressed the
muzzle to his temple aud blew his brains
out! The painful story need not be re-
learsed In further detail to show thai
there must have been much genuine
/ though probably misunderstood misery
in the previous childishslife of the boy
suicide. From no fierce phrenzy of pas
sion, bat in deliberate terror OF return.
ing to what was. no doubt. conventions
ally good home, he took his own life
| 10 attribute the original departure from
that home wholly to unwhOlesome read
ing or pernicious associations would I'M
doubtedly be to confound pretext ant
cause. The Texan adventure was the
preteXt--the definite object attained a
iast--and behind it there must have beer
some incompatibility of parental treat
ment with childish temperament sons
long-continued misrepresentation of in
tliyid llal ehild-nature. to make home !.
place of intolerable constraint and i'm
4 press the crude child-like mind with ,
i restless consciousness of unjust repres
sion and hopeless misconceptions. Other
Il wise it would not have been, in human