Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-07-16
Be Patient With Your Boys.
Ely MRS. HENRY WARD BEECHER.

BY MRS. HENRY WARD BEECHER.
While desiring that mothers should |
keep fast hold Of their girls as long as
they an, what shall we do with the boys P
1t rests with the mothers usually, far
more than with the fathers, to decide. III
he mother is tender. but firm and equita-
BILE. overlooking misdreds that do not
spring from natural depravity, hut from
The theughllessness of youth, with its frol
ic>ome, buhbling. etfervescing spirits-ii
he is prompt and ever watching to know
whereunto this boiSterousness may tend.
always ready with loving hut restraining
hand to check their wild play whenever it
approaches real wrong or evil-then. we
may he sure, such mothers will keep their
hoys, as well as their girls, where
their influence will always be strong
er and more holy than any other.
But with the mothers who are constantly
restraining and thwarting every childish
pleasure, giving words of unmerited re
proof for every mistake OF wayward act,
here is danger that their children will
become peevsh, selfish and decetful.
Particularly is this the danger with boys,
who, when out of doors, are beset by the
very evils that as>ail them through the
uncertain, and often unnatural, discipline
Of boarding schools.
All! if some of the mothers who most
conscientiously endpavor to do their dnly
bv their children, giving cheerfully their
own ease, strength and comfort TO this
work. could, while the little ones are
growing up, act with the same insight and
Judgment which comes to them after this
formative work is done, what precious re
suits would follow! How many of our
most scrupulous and conscientious moth
ers err by over r-governing-over watchful-
ness Their children, after little while,
learn to look upon them as keepers" or
spies, and do not dream that this irritating Q
supervision comes from imperfect iudg-
ment-not lack of atfeclion-in the moth
ers, who would gladly give their own lives
to be able to make their children always
happy while trying to lead them in the
straight and narrow path. Yet the sense
of responsibility which they feel, and
which is supposed to rest upon parents
always, makes the little ones shrink from
them.
) Conscientiousness is so largely devel
oppd in some minds as to make their lives
Il perpetual torture to themselves and al
who come under their inf renee or control
So strong is the hold that this peculial
trait of character has over their Who'll,
lives, trait expressed in SO many dlffrren
forms of action, that they arc not able t
distinguish the folles and freaks of joyou
childhood from the fragrant sins and vice
of ripper and more responsible age. 81
they mete out the same reproof or punish
h., t,,I,llinn tbipns ~ thn
r NAV be merted by ii child u,t on tht
borders Of mature life.
Then, sickness, in many cases, is to-
mighty for some mothers, and they indulg
s in reproof ard irritability because thel
3 nerves are unstrung, and not because tn
, child is deserving of rebuke. Pariicularl
is this the case with the boys in n family
t BOYS must be boys. They must run an
A whistle, burst into the house whOopin
like young Indians, forgetfnl--not regard
l,ss--that their mother aching head
not benefited by such mole of entrance
Who more sorry than these young thun
7, derrrs when they see that they have it
g creased the suffering? Yet how soon is
4 all forgotten when the door closes aftc
" them. and they once more feel the inviG
) Grating air which sets their young bloc
n dancing.
f But the poor mother forgets her ow
n young life, or what is so natural to boy
n hoods health and buoyant spirits. an
~ therefore is not eas ly appeased, or read
n to forego the reprimand which sue
4 thoughtlessneSs seems in her estimation
-, deserve. She forgets that these wilt
~ ~ noisy boys will ere long shoot up into me
. -" and learn TO do without herr
,s We have known and tell il all. and iu
now, while tossed on the restles ocean,
we draw near to home, we are lookiu
backwar over many years, rememberlr
~ the few little frets and annoyances, Il
" many perplexities and great mistakes
Vi our life in the years that will never con
Is back to us again. When we think that Il
l lite girls have now grown beyond o
guidance or gone 10 the better land; VIII,
~ we remember that from this time
= None but tall and deep-voiced men
Will, gravely call us Mother
ed Or we be stretching empty hands
ld From this world to the other"
nd how we wish we had been more patier
Us more gentle More loving we could II
if have been. But we see, us no doubt
nd mothers do where we made mistak,
,e, where we could have done more and bet1
for our children, and think If we COT
but take them back to the time when tn
:, had not learned TO do without US ~
az The mothers overtaxed strength
Nv Nv failing health is often made the reason
kI sending the troop of NOISY boys to scho'
i; and they grow up to manhood with
ur certain love for home and parents, but {
" " not much distressed if they find that tn
'no 1 must do without it For Il few year
10 ~ home love is kept alive by the quartz
.o visits during vacalion-but mothers.
1n ware! The pleasure and exhilaration
,y coming home wilt soon subsde if III
a. t' chance, occasionally, to see symptoms
~ impatience with their Sports and noise,
:" weariness ut any disturbance rs vacati
M iMo1 draws to close. If they have the le
NV NV occasion to think that their presence
81 gins to disturb the quiet, the comfort
'I .; those at home, parents may be very 81
80 that from that time all the beauty of no
aS oS' coming will pass out of their lives forev
eu They will, of course, be happy to see no
nS friends for little while, and will feel
~ ~ necessity of running into port for repai
~ ~ but it will be under feeling of restrai
'.o The sweetness, the excitement, the lC
~, ~, element will have passed out of sig
,'. 'ad and to recall it by any extra attentions
M iou indulgence in the future will be next
us impossible Christian Union,
ete .r
ON True courage is unassuming; true pie
Iserious and humble.-Rober Hall.