The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-07-05
Mark Twain's Advice on Domestic Discipline.

According TO my observation, the most
difficult thing to bring up is a child-in
the morning. You can, sometimes,
though seldom, bring them up in the
morning by yelling at them, but the eff
fectiyeness of the process diminishes
with it's repetition, even when not en-.
tirely neutralized by the children's trick
OF stopping their ears with the bed.
clothes.
The only prompt, effective and abso-
lutte method is to bring them up by the
hair. If your child has good, healthy
scalp, without tendency to premature
badness, this method will work with the
most gratifying efficiency. Try 1t about
once y week, and you will be surprised
to observe how its influence will extend
through the six days, inspiring your
child with the liyeliest possible interest
in the Respondent pageantry of sunrise.
hair requires the exercise of energy and
tirmness; but no affectionateparent 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 be-
trayed into any misstatements or exag.
geration in their presence, don't permit
them to correct you. Right or wrong,
you must obstinately insist on your own
infallibility and promptly suppress all
opposition, with force, if need be. The
moment 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 spec
tacle than parent surrounded by olive
branches who think that they know more
than he does.
vividly remember how my father
who was one of the most rigid and sue.
cessful OF disciplinarians-quell the
aspiring egotism that prompted me 10
correct his clreles rem: re b nhe was
reckoning a problem in shililnxs) that
five times twelve was sixty-two ana
half. $780," said he, looking over his
spectacles and surveying me grimly,
"Ye think ye know more'n your father,
hey? Come here to men His invitation
was too pressing to be declined, and for
few eXcrutiat.ng moments l reposed
in bitter humlliati across his left knee,
with my neck in the embrace OF his left
arm.
l didn't see him demonstrate his math.
ematical accuracy with the palm OF his
right hand ON the largest patch on nv
trowsers, but felt that the old man was
right; and when after completely eradi-
eating my faith in the multiplication ia.
bic, he asked me how much five times
twelve was, insisted, with tears in NV
eyes, that 1T was siXty-two, and a half.
''That's right" said he. "Pll learn
ye to respect your father, if I
have to thrash ye twelve times tiay,
Now go'n water them bosses, IN be live
y, tooW The old gentleman didn't per.
nit my respect for him to wane much
lntil the infammatofy rheumatism dis
abled him, and even thff1t he fsnntiuuad
20 inspire me with. awe Until / was
thoroughly convinced that his disability
was permanent.
Unquestioning obedience-is the crown.
ng grace of childhood. When you tell,
Tou child to do anything and he stops to
nquire why, 1t is advisable to kindly
tut firmly fetch him rap across the car
md inform him "That's whyp He wilt
oon get In the way OF starting with
'harming aIacrity at tha word nf con.
aand.