The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-03-25
JUTENILE PRECICOCITT.
The Child Of the PcriOd-A Specimen Brick
Of Young 1naerica.

We always did pity man who does
not love children There is something
morally wrong with such a man. If hi.
tenderest sympathies are not awakened
by their innocent prattie, if his heart
does not echo their merry laughter, il
his whole nature does not reach out in
ardent longings after their pure thoughts
and unselfish impulses, he is a sour, crus-
ty, grabbed old stick, and the world full
of children has no use for him. In every
age and cline, the best and noblest men
loved children. Even wicked men have
tender spot left in their hardened hearts
for little children. The great men of the
earth love them. Dogs love them,
Observation-Disclosures, the King
of the Cannibal islands. loves them.
Rare, and no gravy. All yes, we all love
children.
And what pleasure it is to talk with
them. Who can chatter with bright
eyed, rosy-cheeked, quick-witted little
darling, anywhere from three to five
years, and not appreciate the pride which
swells mothers breast, when she sees
her little ones admired. All, yes, to be
sure. Only yesterday, lady friend on
a shopping excursion left her little It'd
toddlcr, of five bright summers, in our
experienced charge, while she pursued
the duties which called her down town.
Such bright boy; so delightful it was
to talk to him. We can never forget the
blissful half hour we spent booking that
prodigy up in his centennial history.
''Now listen, Clary," we said-his name
is Clarence Fitzherbert Alencon de Mar
chemont Caruthers-" and learn about
George Washington"
who's he?" inquired Clarence, etc.
Listen" we said "he was the father
of his country"
Whose country"
"Ours; yours and mine; the confed-
Grated union of the American people, ce-
mented with the life-blood of the men of
'76, poured out upon the affairs of our
country as the dearest libation to liberty
that her votaries can offer? ?"
who did ?" asked Clarence.
There is q peculiar tact in talking to
children that very few people possess.
Now most people would have grown i'm
patient and lost their temper when little
Clarence asked so many irrelevant ques-
tons, but we did not. We knew, how
ever careless he might appear at first,
that We could soon interest him in the
story, and he would be all eyes and ears
SO we smiled sweetly-that same sweet
smile which you may have noticed on our
just the faintest ripple of
smile breaking across the face like ray
of sunlight, and checked by lines of ten
der sadness, just before the two ends of
it pass each other at the back of the
neck.
And SO, smiling, we went on.
"Well, one day Georges father
George who ?' asked Clarence
&C George Washington. He was little
boy then, just like you. One day his
father"
"Who's father?" demanded Clarence,
with an encouraging expression of inter-
est.
George Washington this great man
we were telling you Of One day George
father gave him little
hatcEet for "a"
"Gave who little Ratchet ?" the dear
child interrupted with CLEAN of be-
intelligence. Most men would |
have got mad, or betrayed signs of inn
patience, but we didn't. We know how
to talk to children. So we went on:
George Washington. His"
"Who give him the little hatchet?"
" His father. And his father
"Who's father?''
"George Washington's."
"Oh"
Yes, George Washington. And his
ather told him"
"Told who?
"Told George"
ooh, yes George"
And we went on just as patient and as
pleasant as you could imagine. We took
Up the story right where the boy inter
upted, for we could see that he was just
.razy to hear the end of it. We said:
" And he told him that"
George told him? ?" queried Clarence.
"No, his father told George"
"Ohp'
j." Yes; told him that he must be care
ul with the hatchet-"
Who must be careful ?"
"George must"
"Ohp'
Yes; must be careful with the hatch
"What hatchet?"
Why, Georges"
"Oh"
Yes with the Ratchet, and not cut
himself with it, or drop it in the cistern,
# leave it out on the grass ali night. So
George went round cutting everything
lie could reach with his Ratchet. And at
asst he came to a splendid apple tree, his
ather's favorite, and cut it down, and"
"Who cut it down."
George did"
"Ohr'
" He said"
:" His father said 20
"No, no, no, George said: Father
annot tell lie. did it with my little
latchet.' And his father said: Noble
10Y, would rather lose thousand trees
han have you tell a lie.'
George did,"
ono; his father said that"
'Said he'd rather have thousand APP
lies trees ~
"No, no, ne said he'd rather lose a
thousand apple trees than
"Said he'd rather George would ~
"No; said he'd rather he would than
AVE him lie"
cob! George would rather have his