Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-12-12
A QUIET HOUSE.

of shrl childish laughter reaounded from tho
nursery down the hall stairs and into tho sitting
room, where he was making out SONS account
ii wish those children would be quiet "Ant
1t bed time, Tillie p
"Thoy are probably undressing" Mrs rur-
moyle replied quietly. "I viii so and zee il they
arc ready for bed.n
"Do keep them quiet until they are -
There was an interval Of profound sleneo
aud in about half an hour the mother returned
''They are all asleep now" ahe said. "Tom
had dressed the kitten in Bsssie's doll clothes" E"
The accounts finished, Mr. Turmoyle leaned
back in his chair.
~ wish you had some management with those
children, ]1lhe," he said. II went over to stones
on business last evening" aud you would not have
known there child in the house. And
Stone has five while we have only three
Perhaps they were abed'
''They were all IN the next room" was the
triumphant reply. "Stone s proud of then aud
well he may be. There il Willie Just the age
OF our Tom, studying Latin instead Of dressing
kittens in dolls clothes. And Amy, who will
not be three years old for three months reads
well, and knows the multiplication table through
Look at our young savages !"
" They are getting along well at school, denr.
think Mark is too young yet to study, The
others did not go to school till they were five .
And Tom just manages to write decent let
Ter at twelve, while Willie is ut Latin Grammar.
And as for manners why Pom will make more
noise alone than Stones five, all put together
Mrs. Turmoyle, being II woman of sense, Ill 1
not continue tho argument, but mentally re-
solved to see Airs. Stone the next day, and talk
with her about the wonderful secret OF layln..
i've children and quiet house.
" | am sure L can't do it :" tho gentle, loving
mother thought, with sigh.
Seated the next morning IN close conyersatur,
the ladies' presented contrast marked 10 the at
mosphere of their homes. The tiny blue-eyed
little woman, who had no heart to suppress
rom's merry whistle, Bessie's silver laugh, hal
left home where constant care only secured
cleanliness, and whore childish DISORDER was
manifest everywhere but in the best parlur. She
lJoked ut the tall dark-haired matron opposite.
her, noted the exquisite morning dress faced
with light silk, HpOtlees and unrnmpod. and
thought regretfully of the MARKS Of ten chubby
fingers upon her own, printed there when her
boy baby, her darling Mark, had just Hucceedel
in forcing piece of Ills " sweetest candy, into
mammas mouth. She noted the dainty order OF
the sitting room, whero every chair HtOo plimly
IN its place, and not even a thread rested upon
the carpet, remembered Marks able made for
his "spress cart and horses under tho lounge,
and Bcssie's I" keep house, the lower shelf Of
the bookcase. Visions haunted her also Of suip-
pings of paper, bits of strings odds aud ends Of
dolls .hnery, uDon tho table
Drifting from one scrap of maiiimony talk to
another, the ladies came naturally to tho cure
and management of children,and Mrs Turnoyia
Soullhultnltu ntI ntlHlubl ulNuAi tlH hJllNhl-
ance of her house, and the proficiency OF uhe he
tie ones.
81 cannot understand how you accomplish it. 81
she said frankly.
by system,' was tho reply. "rhe education
ofmy children begins | must say, in their cra.
dies. As soon as they can walk thoy havo their
own proper place in tue room, and are trained "a
perfect silence when older persons arc present
Mrs. Turmoyle thought of the noisy chorus os
shouts the eager recital of the days pleasuIcs
accidents that greeted papa, auntes aud un-
cles in her own nursery, and wondered If Tom
Bessie, and Mark could be trained to sit quiet n
place for hours at time.
"At two years of ago | teach my children
their letters, and after that they re~senu to
school. All OF them were entered at three year
Of age at private school, and at five at public
one. In the intervals OF school hours my boys
have geographical puzzles, spelling names and
problems, and my girls are taught sewing
" But when do they play.
"Their puzzles and games are sufficient
amusement for the boys, and allow the girls tt
cut and tit clothes for a large wax DOLL
" L disapprove entirely Of outdoor play. /
ruins clothing and makes children rude they
have out door exercise in long walk to ant
from school.
As she spoke the hall door opened quietly aut
fall of footateps crossed the hall to the dining
room door. Five children. three girls and tw,
boys, came in with languid Footsteps, from wlncl
all ohlldishness seemed stricken. Spotle- /
clean with shiny hair and polished hopts the
followed in orderly fashion the lead Of the eldest
who stood before his mother, waiting Tor pei
mission to speak,
"Well, my son y she said quietly.
"There il no school this afternoon. Tn
senior clasais TO be examined he said YEARLY
mo school Very well, will ret yon ON
examples after dinner, aud find YOU some word
to study in the dictionary
Silently the five sat down until the visitor d'
parted unoomfortably conscious OF ten wear
eyes, five pallid pinche faces,
Crossing her own doorway, Mrs. Iurmoyle wa
,sreeted bv A. merry luetG.
''No school No school,
Then the tenor solo.
won't you make some bobs to my kite mau
map There's splendid wind !"
Followed by sweet soprano.
"And Oh mamma, you promised the lin
holiday you would trim my dolls bonnet
II 'aint kite too = struck IN mark.
'Oh, let me get my breath y cried the Int
woman. "wheie IL your hat, TomY
"Oh, forgot" said Tom sweeping it OF in
profound bow. "IIere, take this chair, and i
me take your bonnet aud sacque up stairs. lt
are tired Never mind the bobs, II you are ye
tired"
"rI help make them, said Bessie, and
so watch Tom mamma, if you don't feel Ia
making the bonnet"
"Werl see after dinner" said Mrs TutinoyI
looking from one rosy face to tile otheiy marlH
the sturdy limbs and dancing eyes. To be Hul
the hair Of all three must be reduced from
state of rebellion, before they wore presenAl
at the table, and soap and water We're plenAi
suggestions in tho maternal eyes. There "
perfect health and happiness, If tho VOICES we
ahrlll and boots uoiay.
"IYe been to sec Mrs Stone, ahe ea
when, washed and combed, her children all gal
cred around her TO wait for papa and dinr
land wondered II / could make my childl
a. quiet and orderly as hers are.
"Wilhe Stone is a milksop," said Tom C,
temptuously, "aways crying because Of
aches. He can't play anything and dare
move for fear Of spolling his clothes Would
play football for fear he would get aust on
boots. There's a nice boy for you y lie mit
Just well be girl at once"
"And, mother, the teacher had TO write u ~
the day John Gray spilled ink on Mludes apr
She was afraid to go home, it was awful.
said ber mother would whip her, ard keep
upon bread and water for whole day v
Lee told her to say it was not her fault, but
said her mother would not b,eye her"
Dinner Aud here co nos papa J! cried Il
Mr. pnrmoyle came in with very grave Ia
He made no comment upon the bostcrous
liz, h.i... llll ...Ll,lal IN