The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-05-20
Mark TWain's Advice ON Domestic
Discipline.

ACCORDING to my Obs ervation, ths
most difficult time to bring up child i!
in the morning. You can sometimes
though seldom, bring them up in the
morning by yelling at them; but the
effectiveness OF the process diminishe;
with its repetition, even when not entire
ly neutralIZed by the children's trick o.
stopping their ears with the bed-clothes
The only prompt, effective and absolute
method is to bring them up by the hair
Ii your child has good, healthy scalp
without any tendency to premature
badness, this method will work with The
mos, gratifying efficiency. Try it about
once a week, and you will be surprised
to observe how its influence will extend
through the six days, inspiring your
child with the liveliest possible interest
ia the respondent psgeantry of sunrise
The firing up of darling child by the
hair requires the exercise of some energy
and firmness; but no affectionate parent
will hesitate at the little sacrifice of this
kind for the welfare of his offspring.
Nothing can be more fatal to your dis
cipline than to allow your children to
contradict you. If you happen to be
betrayed into any misstatement or ex.
aggeratiol in their presence, don't per
NIT them TO correct you. Right OF
wrong you must obstinately insist on
your own infallibility and promptly
suppress with force if need be- The mo.
ment you permit them to doubt your
unerring wisdom you will begin to for.
felt their respect and pander to their
conceit. There can be no sadder specta.
Gle than parent surrounded by olive
branches who think that they know
more than he does. wildly remember
how my father-who was one of the
most rigid and successful of discipline.
rlans-queled the aspiring egotism that
prompted me to correct his careless re-
mark when he was reckoning a problem
in shillings) that five times twelve was
sixty-two and half $50 said he,
climbing over his spectacles, and sur
veying me grimly, "ye think ye know
more'n yer father, hey? Come ere to
me" His invitation was too pressing to
be declined, and for few excruciating
moments | reposed in bitter humiliation
across his left knee, with my neck IN the
embrace of his left arm.
ldidn't see him demonstrate his math-
ematical accuracy with the palm of his
right hand on the largest patch on nv
trowsers, but l felt that the old man was
right; and when, after completely eradi-
eating my faith in the multiplication
table, he asked me how much five times
twelve was, l insisted with tears in my
eyes that it was siXty-two and half
That's right" said he an learn We to
respect your father if have to thrash we
twelve times day. Now go'n water
them bosses, n be lively, tool" The old
gentleman didn't permit my respect for
him TO wane much until the infiamma-
tory rheumatism disabled him, and even
then he continued to inspire me with
awe until l was thoroughly convinced
that his disability was permanent.
Unquestioning obedience is the crown
ing grace of childhood. When YOU tell
your child to do anything and he
stops to inquire why, it is advisable to
kindly but firmly fetch him rap across
the ear and inform him THAT'S whyr'
He will soon get in the way of starting
with charming alacrity at the word of
command.
One OF the most inveterate and annoy
ing traits of children is Inconsistencies
Ii you are inconsidcrate enough to at
tempt to satisfy their omniverous curl
osIty, you may as well prepare to abdi-
cate, for you will be nonplused by their
questions a dozen times a dav, and in
your weak sagacity will be hopelessly
compromised. An average child is a
magazine of unconqucrable and discon.
certed conundrums. You cannot expect
children to have much reverence for a
parent whose ignorance they can expose
twice out of three times trying. 1t is
well enough to answer an easy question
now and then, just to convince them that
you can when you choose but when they
come at you with poser, tell them
"oh, never mlnd?' or Shut up, and then
they will grow up independent and self
reliant and restrained only by venera-
ton from splitting your head open--to
find out how it holds so much informa-
ton without letting more of it out.
1t would be difficult-verydiific
estimate the beneficial effect that would
be entailed upon their children if par.
ents generally would adopt the method
here vaguely indicated