The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-07-31

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parents are strong and seIf-possessed
and protecting and Just and friendly
but when the child goes out into the
world he will find it different, unjust,
reckless. How can he bear the transit
ton from the warm atmosphere of home
to the cool, not to say biting, airs Of
this new sphere? But the wise, self
restrained, helping adults do not con-
stitute all of home. Again and again
comes q little baby more helpless, ig-
no1ant, appealing then the helpless
Ignorant and appealing child The three
year-old Immediately constitutes her
self a mother superior to the three-day-
old. The same lovely, helpful traits
which she calls forth in her parents the
baby calls forth in her. Children are
to each other what the outside world is
to their parents. Needless, headlong
children become careful and cautious
when the baby wanders into their play
ground. The boy who howls and
storms and raves because his mother
will not yield to hls wish and whim viii
himself yield to the whims of the tiny
sister left while in his charge, and
coax and cajole and induce not only
with marvellous patience, but with
wisdom and tact of which you had
never suspected him to be capable.
Thank Heaven for the qUarrels of the
children Thus they learn the balance
of power before they leave the nursery.
Perhaps his father will not allow Char
ley to be panished, but if he strikes
Kitty, Kitty strikes back, and with
blind fury. So he learns to curb his
temper in spite of his father. The
trouble is that parents too often inter-
fere when it would be much better to
leave the children to fight it out. But
Charley is stronger than Kitty, and
hurts her True, but it is very impor-
tant that Kitty should learn to measure
herself, and to know that if she filings
herself rashly against superior power
she will be beaten. Resides keeping
general supervision of eyes and bones,
let us not exercise too close a watch.
The outcry and clamor are not soothing
or musical considered merely as sounds,
but when you classify them as the fTic-
tion of souls striving to adjust them
selves to the relations of life, they are
far from annoying. Let the children
alone The brothers impatience may
better discipline the offender than the
/ father patience. The sisters quick,
effective resentment is more like the
worlds ways than the mothers loving
endurance. The slap that promptly
/ follows encroachment is a good practi-
! cal lesson in human rights. Be not too
hasty to forbid the little children to
beat and box and tease and scold and
scratch each. other into respect for
ownership, for sensitiveness, into dig
nifed self-control, and even, at length,
| into a profound and universal benevo-
lence. Gail Hamilton.
/ CHRONICLES OF THE CHnDREN.-It is
certain not many of us are called to
stand on the high places of authorship.
Few are those whose brows are barred to
the breezes that blow from the summit
of Parnassus, and, mayhap, it is the
very kindest fate that places us in the
sheltered, restful valley below for of
tentimes the winds blow cold and chill
over the lofty pes ks, and the snow lies
on the montain tops, while summer sun
shine sleeps below, But in one sense I
think we mothers should all be authors.
What book can compare with the won
! derful unfolding of those little soul
buds which open slowly and marvellous
ly before our very eyesi What story
charm like the record of those small
child-Iives which are daily taking to
themselves form and color and sub
stance And then it is not bit for the
public, this book I would have you
write. No critic shall spy out an er-
ring mood or tense, or flaw in your in
nocent rhetoric for it is a home-book,
consecrated to its four square walls, and
the snug circle therein. It is only the
little story of your own Mary and
Willie, with all the everyday lights and
shadows, and not at all for effect, but
only to keep in your mind the changing
semblance of your little ones before it is
gone beyond recall. We forget so easi.
ly, life runs by, and ere we know it we
have lost the c1inging baby; lost the
wee Willie of meddlesome feet and In
!, tquiring fingers !; lost tie CLEAN of little
Mary's shining hair playing hide-and
seek behind the currant-bushes los
the queer little speeches, the quain
ideas, the long, bright, busy days o
their childhood. You have matronl,
woman for your child, business mai
for your boy, but the children neve
more. There is such little volume ly
ing perdu in Sour bookcase. I5 is tn
most unassuming of blank books, bu
inside is the simplest, sweetest story O
all the world to me. There all the di
{ Whiting little things the children hav
said are treasured up to laugh owe
) sometime when the boys spsrt mus
taches and the girls long dresses
Here the home merry -makings, the nut
tings, the wood hunts, the birthdn
Re- parties, the christmas-trees, the littl
journeys, are told in words which, q
they were written down at the time
have caught the aroma of the differeI
days, so that they shall be small mi
rors for memory to recall glimpses {
: their child-ifeto may be, I hope, grow
men and women. Interspersed Al
2 photographs, for the most part take
each birthday, and locks Of hair, " Jel
= MES at two years" 4" Hsrry's at four,
? p aud saddest of all, if there be anon
= the group a sweet face which, unknoy
ing to US, may be marked for heavel
: how precious the record of her dai
!. life fephotographed along It's pages, no
= sweet the hspings of her childish tongl
as they come back to US in her very oV
words They know nothing Of it ye
!. the children, bat, fancy, some wint
evening, IN decade not yet born VIII,
the snow is falling silently outside, gi
~ mo that s71btIa faaf5rer s,f isoIakfor, aF