The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-02-14
Governing the Boy.

1t is one of the mysteries of Provi
dence that those invested with the crow
and glory of motherhood are not Away
those best qualified to bring up their off
spring. 1t is one thing to bring chile
into the world, and quite another thing t.
carry it safely through it; and the chile
of an uncle, or an aunt, is frequent
more to be congratulated than is one who
is left entirely to the control of its pa
rents.
History has furnished us with instances
where those "born in purple" the very
flower of nobility, and heirs to extensive
Kingdoms, where through lack of the gov
erning power, the wise prerogative OF
kings wholly unfit to reign over the realm
to which their rank entitled them. In
this way nature annuls the privileges of
royalty, and makes regency wise ne
cessity.
Yamacois, in his instructive picture of
the Education of Prince" which is a
volume of satire put upon so many feet
of canvas, and not too highly colored,
furnishes US most suggestive theme for
thoughtful meditation and inquiry. The
boy, mere baby, is placed upon the floor
in the middle of large room of palatial
proportions. His military toys are set
out in battle array, and the child finds an
orange most convenient instrument OF
war. Destruction in his element; immo-
bility in his abomination; he strikes, they
fall, and the kings cabinet Immediately
becomes an astrological assembly. The
Minister of War teleeraphs to the Minis
ter of Finance; my Lord Treasurer is lost
in a weighty calculation; and the face of
each member of the royal household is
expressive of peculiar and varied emo
tons.
One can read the whole story at a
glance; how instinct is mistaken for in
telligence, and wherein lie the grevious
errors that may be made even in the edu-
| cation of prince. Nature has great
deal to do with nobility; but there is
nothing that so develops sturdy, self
reliant, courteous and considerate man
hood as to graduate from "the college of
hard knocks"
If l see splendid specimens of man
hood or womanhood, l always feel curl
Gus to know the sort of training they
have had; just as would enjoy reading
of or seeing the transition process of a
crude mass of metal into an exquisite
vase, or of an unattractive piece of mar
BILE into statute which is "a thing of
beauty"
1t was my good fortune this past sum-
mer to be thrown into company of II
family of boys, the eldest of whom had
recently graduated from one of our first
colleges with distinguished honors. Mod
esty and manliness were written on his
brow; and one could easily believe the
truth of his mothers remark that "all the
comfort any mother had ever taken with
daughter she had taken with her son"
believe that our best men are made of
these motherly boys, those who are not
continually fretting at the apron-strings
if the apron-strings-are worthy articles
Of restraint. In this case the mother and
father were
"Nobly planned,
To warn, to counsel, and command"
and it was hardly to be wondered at that
the family we're the admiration and emu
lation of the neighborhood.
Having an opportunity of seeing one of
the younger boys under Discipline,
learned the secret Of the governing power.
Harry look me in the eye! look me
in the eye" was the authoritative COM
mand, and not until the boy lifted his
face and met his fathers gaze, was the
word of admonition given. And there
was no mincing matters. The governing
power was where it belonged; the censure
was deserved; the mothers silence was
an additional reproof, and obstnscy was
in subsection.
In governing the boy, it too frequently
happens that the father and mother do
not pull together, and perhaps that is one
reason why this mode of training struck
me as being rather novel and peculiar
and as we judge entirely by results, four
well-behaved, gentlemanly, agreeable
boys are certainly sufficient proof that in
the case above cited the governing pow
er has fortunately been placed in the
ha,l of tho r;uht ipjividuaIs