The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-02-25
Neglected Children.

A child, coming into the world by no
volition of its own, surely has a right
to claim the care and protection of its
father and mother. They are not re-
leased from this claim by any exterior
circumstance. Whether they live in
Rag Fair or Fifth avenue. they are
equally bound to take the best care
they can of their own offspring. To do
Rag Fair justice, it is not half so anx-
ious to shirk the responsibility in the
matter as Fifth avenue often is.
No matter how many subordinates
your purse can employ, you are your
self, being parent, your child's first
and best guardian. But society busi-
ness and the church make many de-
mands upon your time. Even so.
Meet them if you can but if you must
choose which to give your second best
to, and which to let go by the board, let
home and children have the freshness,
the first of the day, and the closest
brooding of the heart.
I have known a family of dear
little children, clothed in purple and
fine linen, and faring, like the man in
the parable, sumptuously every day,
who were almost as badly off as Lazarus
in the same. They were wholly under
the care and influence of iIliterate,
vulgar and unprinciplied servants, their
mother being too much engaged with
company, friends and benevolent enter
prises to do more than give them kiss
once or twice a day, and sometimes
when they vexed her a scolding or a
slap. The mother, brilliant and edu-
Gated and most fascinating lady. By
and by she is ashamed of her children,
who are Doors, unpublished, unmannerly
and uDgrammatical. What wonder
They were neglected, and nothing else
could have been expected. Seven times
one are seven. You cannot make it
nine, to save your life.
Some mothers neglect their children
through the care they take of their out
ward appearance. Come what viii, they
must have so many little frocks, and so
many little aprons, so many pies and
cakes too. on the table, and so much
luxury in the furnishing and adoring of
their homes. Somebody and something
must be put of and turned aside, and
it is very likely to be the little Kitty or
Johnny, who is, after all, the occasion
of the parents greatest pride and anx-
ietyl 1t is a terrible thing, though,
when you really sit down and think
about it, that a child, living, breathing,
sentiment and immortal, should ever be
considered as merely a clothes-pole, or
a center-piece for vain display
The class who upon the whole get the
least notice taken of them, and are of
tenest snubbed and hurt, are the boyF.
The ordinary, commonplace ones, I
mean, who are especially brilliant in
nothing, and who are at the awkward,
obtrusive age, when their feet and hands
are big, and they seem to have a talent
for forever being in the way. Their
very faces have lost the beauty of
babyhood, and have not gained the
meaning of manhood. Nobody has
much patience with them, and the house
is so much stiller when they are out of
it that even mother does not ask
where they are when they stink out of
sight, perhaps, after supper, God help
them I Many a boy might be saved
from period of wild and reckless dis
sipation if only there was somebody
who could see the better part of him,
and care enough for him TO endure the
rougher outside and help him along.
There are plenty of neglected boys who
wear good warm clothes and have shoes
on their feet. Is there one that we
know? If so, let us take compassion
on him.