American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-01-30
About Giving Up.

instinct that you do not like to be talked
to. You think at once of scolding or
lecturing, in which senses the expression
is sometimes used.
Now, being talked miM is q, tie diff
fercnt thing. ! am of the opinion that
if parents and friends would oftener talk
with little people simply, inteliigcntly,
| listening to what the little people have
to say IN reply, it would be much better
than to always reprove and admonish
them from a sort of grown-up pinnacle
where they are not allowed to answe
| back.
To answer an older person saucily is of
| course very wrong; but to answer
thoughtfully is one of the best things a
child can do, for it leads her to think for
| herself The long words and set phrases
a child hears in the form of advice and
reproof are apt to go in at one ear and
| out at the other; but the little talk in
which she herself takes part is sure to
make an impression.
If older persons were habitually to
| make a more patient and loving effort to
| find out just how children think and feel
and more respect was manifested for
these thoughts and feelings, which, if
| wrong, ought to be corrected, and if
right encouraged and helped, young and
old would live together in far greater
harmony and to better purpose.
Now, what l want to do is, in fancy, TO
gathcra bevy of you girls-Meg and
Fanny and Bess and Ruth and Jane, and
as many more as choose to come-and
chat with you pleasantly on various sub
jects. And first about giving up"
Giving up is not pleasant thing, and al
ready can see pouting lips and frown-
ing brows. 1t is quite like dose of bit
ter medicine, which leaves bad taste in
the mouth; but the medicine must be
taken If we would get well of fever,
and we must learn to submit if we would
live at all happily in the world.
Obstinacy is not always the hard, re
pulsive thing in appearances it is pop
ularly supposed to be. Sometimes it
smiles, and speaks in a low, soft voice,
and seems at a glance to be very amiable
and lovely; still it persists, and carries
its point in the end, no matter how much
others may suffer the consequences.
This is the worst kind of willfulness to
deal with, and in reality Just as bad a
the cOarser variety.
i remember once meeting two little
sisters at place of summer resort. For
convenience / will call them Harriet and
Lucy. Everyone said: "What a charm
ing, gentle girl Lucy isr' but hardly
person could be found to speak well of
poor Harriet. Lucy was always correct
and proper; she could play the piano and
good effect. Harriet was rather quick
tempered, laundering and impulsive. She
had no accomplishments, and was an I'M
fortunate child. always meeting with &C
cidents. People did not svmpathiZe with
her troubles; but if Lucy so much as
scratched her finger she was petted and
condoled with.
Myr room happened to be next to the
one occupied by these two girls, and
the wall was thin without trying or wish
ing to listen, j could not help finding out
that the sweet, correct, e.egant Lucy
made poor Harriet's life a burden to her
She tormented her sister in her soft,
heartless voice, so that the other never
had her way in anything, but gave up to
Lucy when she ought to have resisted
and claimed her rights. Here there was
made miserable by Lucy's nagging and
sly willfulness, grew reckless, and hid
herself from those around her, while
Lucy got the credit of unusual sweetness
and amiability.
tell you this little story to show you
that one child ought not to yield to the
tyranny of another; that soft and gentle
do not always accompany
the best disposition; and how much
cruel injustice can be done in families
by selfishness and obstinacy.
1t seems to me hear some little girl
that children are often
forced to give up when they do not
know the reason why-when, in fact
there can be no reason but the caprice
of their elders.
1t is very true that a reason ought, if
possible, to be rendered when the de-
mand is made. But this cannot always
be done. In every family a great deal
must be sacrificed to peace. The peace
of home is such beautiful thing that
rs soon as a girl comes to reflect ana
sees how much depends on giving up in
little things, if she is right minded and
rue hearted she will be glad to do her
small part toward SO lovely an end by
cheerful submission.
The big sister yields sometimes to the
little one; not because there is any right
IT justice in it, but because the little
sister cannot understand these things,
md must be hundred in order to be
Kept quiet. The big sister is rewarded
~ the compliment paid to her sense.
There are many ways of giving up or
to do so; and l am sorry To
ay that l have only seen few girls
Who knew how to give up beautifully, SO
hat one admired them more in this act
han any other of their lives. Some sulk
nd pout and make everyone about
hem uncomfortable by their bad mode
# submission. ! have seen girls who
ielded, but did it like an angry servant
Who goes out of the house and slams the
DOR behind her.
We may submit in act but not in fact.
he spirit has no lot or part in such
node of giving up. The heart may be
cry hard and stubborn while the body
ields ts what is demanded. All the
God influences of giving up are thus
,st upon the life. Learn, dear girls, to
ield gracefully, for submissive spirit
alone acceptable unto God.-F'rom
augusta Lnf7seds Talk With Girls.