Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-11-15

4" Tell me who arc your friends, and ! will
tell what YOU are, is an old Spanish proyelb.
Ills saying should DE, il applied 90 children
" Tell me who are your companions and
win tel you what you rW be =" and there
can be no better test of the probable future
OF boy aud girl than the character and con-
duct of their ordinary associates. Children
can hardly be said TO choose their compan-
ions ior they generally accept such as The
Circumstances of their position may offer
There j. nothing so Characteristic OF child.
hood as its ready fellowship. Solitude is It's
greatest aversion, and the child viii hy 20
the embraces OF the first companion, as a
refuge from bis own unsocahle self. TX
cluded from The society of his fellows, ne
shows his love Of companionship 10y at once
personiiying the iuanimate objects around
him, and surrounding himself in imagina-
tiou with the outward life SO necliul ,J bis
happiness The very sticks aud stones are
yiviiied 10y bis social fancies, and be strides
a horse OF stick, and, with a dagger oi ath,
leads whole troops Of imaginary followers 90
the attack on handitu of trees and lurking
robbers OF rock. When no longer the sport
Of illusions, and he awakens. as he surely
will do. to the difference between fancy aud
reality, his longing for the genuine compan-
ionship of substantial flesh and blood be-
comes so intense that, If refused what il de-
sires, he will suffer all the serious con
sequences of au unsatished natural want.
Ills body will not be more certainly starved
by Withholding from 10 its daily food, than
will his mind and moral nature by depriviug
them Of the natural sustenance supplied 10y
the eompaniouship OF those of his own age.
The attempt so common among overload
and timid parents, 10 bring up their chill
dren al home in manner by which they are
isolated almost entirely from association
with others, is an experiment full of danger.
1t is, however frequently made, especially
in the case where the risk is the greatest, as
when there is an only child. If the family
should be large aud the children many, they
may become of course, to a great degree,
sufficient companions 10 each other, aud
will be able 10 dispense, 10 some extent, with
the society Of others but these are ordina-
rily those upon whom less restriction Is im-
posed. II is the single child, upon whom
the fonduess of parents is so concentrated
that they must keep him wholly TO them
selves, who is the common victim of this per
ucious isolation. II is usual to attribute
the generally observed physical weakness OF
such 10 excessive indulgence, especially of
thelr dpletltee' Dut III Is not seldom lhe el-
feet of pning for suitable compauionship,
depressing the strength through the sympa-
thetic influence of the mind upon the body
and the youngest children are much more
sensible to this sympathy than is commonly
suspected. Children must aud will take
companions whenever aud wherever they
can get them and since the influence of
their associates, especially during their early
years is so great upon their characters, it
behooyes parents to be on the constant
watch 10 observe and scrutinize the conduct
of those whose companionship may be sought.
Lace and broadcloth are often, il not
oitener, the drapery of vice, than homespun.
and we advise parents TO scrutinize the sur
face less aud the texture more of their chill
drens society. There is in the simple rule
that no child shall be permitted to have an
associate whom he is not willing to bring to
his home great security for good compan-
ionship. a parent by the strict enforce
ment of this rule and kindly encourage
ment Of the visits of the companions OF his
children, will do a great deal toward proyid-
ing them with such society as will best con
duce to their advantage