Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-06-25
A Case Strongly Put.

In the variety columns" of the news
papers, where facts and fancies and face
ti2 are intermiXed, appears the following !:
A poor woman, called in New England
and Old England "char-woman" (pro-
nOunced in Boston chore- woman) spends
all the money she can possibly spare in
dressing her fatherless little boy She
decorates him in the latest fashion, con-
tenting herself with clothing of the poor
est and plainest. Being eXpostulated with
for her over-weening self-denial, she an
swered, ooh, don't blame me! Just think
of it-when [ take little Tommy into the
park for a walk, people think [ am his
nurse!"
This may be fact Probably it is. 1t
may come under the head of "amusing'
with some readers, but those persons who
think discern in the poor mothers fond
exhibition of the self-denying character of
| willing to be moderated that her children
may be in better esteem, and to put up
with poverty and inconvenience to place
| the chic Of her heart-boy or girl-in a
good position before the world 1t is to be
! hoped that Tommy" when he grows
older, may not regard his mother as an
| incumbrance and low person with whom
| it is rather misfortune than otherwise to
be connected. If he does happen to APP
preciate her kindness, return her affection
and manfully reward her devotion, why
| then Tommy will be one of thousand
among spoiled children. They generally
repay undue parental INDULGENCE with in
gratitude, and are more "spoiled'' to their
parents than to anybody else. Some
| fathers, though not SO many fathers as
mothers, sacrifice themselves unduly ior
their children, and find that nobody holds
| them cheaper for it than their children
| themselves ....s
! Yet, in the very nature of things, some
thing Of the establishment of the poor
char-Woman enters into every good
mothers heart. Where reason and judic-
ious education accompany the. exercise OF
| parental love, the child is trained to per
ceive and reciprocate that love. Rather,
we should say, affection being natural
sentiment, respect is added. Without the
habit of Difference and the feeling ofrever-
ence, affection is soon obliterated by sell
fshness; and the over-indulged child tres
passes cruelty on the weakness which has
pampered his appetites and fostered his
vanity
In one Of Captain Marryatt's now neg
''there is great deal of human nature in
man." Many young people are in Tom
my's case, without knowing it. Their
surroundings do not bring out the absurd
| ity Of the case quite so strongly as in the
| instance of the mother who was content to
seem the ilired nurse, in order that her
child might appear to be a scion of more
aristocratic growth. There are a very
many "Tommys" in the world, and
"Sissys," too, fiourishing bravely at the
expense of their too indulgent and mis-
takenly self-denying parents. But true
manliness and true womanly character in
young people will defend father and
mother before all corners; or at the least
will see to it that the child, does not hold
false position in society at the expense
of the parents, either one or both. There
is no greater human excellence than fila
pietv. and no better assurance of success
in life than honor to the father and mother
Philadelphia Ledger.