The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-04-19
TO JAMIE, AGED TWELVE.
My Jamie-My own darling little boy !!
When l walked this morning the first thing
which came into my head was that little
rhvua WI, lilo IN hoar mo oinD.

My Jamie-My own darling little boy!
When walked this morning the first thing
which came into my head was that little
rhyme you like to hear me sing:
won't hug, hug, hug, hug, hug!
Won't l eat, eat, eat, eat, eat!
Won't bite, bite, bite, bite, bite!
Won't hug, eat, bite, my sweet!
If you could only know, dear, how much
l love you, how deeply long to have you
grow into noble man, you would try
harder than ever to be my honest, brave,
unselfish boy. BY honest mean true in
all you say and do; above deceit, scorning
all false pretenscs. By brave l mean
strong to control your temper; strong to
hold in those fiery horses that will take
you wherever you please, and carry you
splendidly to the accomplishment OF all
you seek to do in life-if you do hold the
reins firmly and rule them; but who will,
if you yield to them, bear you where they
please, into desert places, among rocks
and snares, and dash you down frightful
precipices at last. All, my darling, pay
close attention to what say, and hold the
horses obedient to your will.
You are young to understand the mean
ing, the uses and purpose of high, hot
temper, yet have often tried to explain
them to you and you have seemed to un-
derstand. Let me impress it upon you
again. You know what q great blessing
fire is, and what a terrible curse it can be.
When it gets out from our control, it
burns whole cities, and burns human be.
ings, men, women and little children;
there is no staying its mighty power when
once it gets beyond our control. But
when we rule and control it, what won
derful servant it is! 1t keeps our houses
warm and cheerful; it cooks our food and
heats our baths; it pushes our steamers
| and rolls our express trains, and by do
| ing these two last things enables people to
visit all countries and bears the products
of every land to all lands. And these are
only few of the things it does when it is
our servant and not our tyrant.
Now, darling, it is just so with temper
it is. great power; whether it shall
be for good or ill, its possessOr alone can
decide. You know that it is power,
| though you have thus far chiefly found
out its power for evil. When your tenn
per is up, you have felt the new, sudden
power it gave you to strike your playmate
If he had offended you; you have even
felt that the blows or kicks he gave you in
return did not give you 50 much pain in
your angry mood as they did before you
were angry or after. Temper uncontrolled
is what makes its possessor stab and shoot,
and murder his wife or his children, or
his father, or his real or fancicd enemy
1t is what makes him fear, a terror to
those nearest and dearest to him, and
who would be glad to love him If they
were not too much chilled and Mortified
at his dreadful actions. Such temper is
what has often used that other power so
like itself-fire-to work out sudden re-
venges by burning the houses and prop
erty of those who have reused it.
Now. does my darling want to know
what Temper, the servant and not the
tyrant, can do for q child! Temper the
servant makes child strong in all ways.
| Strong to control his desires when they
prompt him to hurt others or destroy their
things in spite; strong to hold up his head
and confess his fault bravely, whatever it
may be, fearless of all consequences;
strong to defend another even at his own
expense-strong to speak the truth and
| act the truth, though the very heavens
should fall. Strong to take hold of every
duty, the smallest or greatest, and work 1t
out courageously and faithfully. Strong
to do perfectly all he attempts; errands,
little tasks, lessons. Strong to correct his
wrong habits, to put every one OF them
down, and set up good habit in its
place. Strong to face any trouble, any
disappointment; rainy days, when he
wants bright ones; sickness; loss of play.
things; loss of some customary privilege,
loss Of some special expectation or hope,
etc. Strong to bear all provocati0n and
at short notice. Strong to be sweet, pa
tent, noble, loving, lOvable; and there
| fore strong for and sure of the highest
happiness. This is how your temper will
serve you if you will resolve from this
hour to be its master. You will gain con-
tinually in all the best kinds of strength,
and be equal to bear and to get good from
whatever may happen to you. Try and
appreciate what l say, dear, and resolve
to be this sort of boy, for he makes the
same sort Of a man, and that is the best
kind of q man. God bless you and help
you, darling, darling child, and may you
and darling Charlie become the most low
| ing of brothers and the most noble, hon.
est hearted and worthy among men. AL.
ways your loving MOTHER.
r. s. Don't be. discouraged at many
little failures, but keep trying bravely
Let it be like going IN and up, not back
and doom. Be faithful at school; don't
trouble your teachers, and have no trash
in your pockets when those pockets are In
schooll-Springssld &Aoss.) Republican.