The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-11-14
A talk with Mothers.

As Irene Aroon has requested that l shall
give OF my experience with children, l think
will continue my talk with mothers. But, dear
Irene, / do not feel that have finished, or
shall finish while life lasts, the care-strewn
road that you, perhaps, have just started on.
True, my path may be compared to one that
has opened out on level plain. know that
the dear children try to smooth the rough
places, and lead me gently down the western
slope. true mother is a mother always; no
matter how old her children are, they are to
her children still There will be care and
anxiety for their welfare so long a. there is
one spark Of motherly love in her bosom. The
youngest of my children is so old that ne han
dies, with cool and fearless hand, pair OF
gay young horses, and yet'my children's ac-
tons say, as did the little boy when asked to
define the word @home." Said he: 3Home
home-why, home is where mother is" Yes,
we should win our children's love so COM
pietely that no place will be home TO them like
that where mother is
How shall we win that love? BY yielding to
their every wish and whimg BY no means.
That is just the way to spoil them, and lay up a
harvest of sorrow for the mother. Nor should
their wishes be all thwarted and the gay young
spirits all crushed down by too severe disci-
pine
The mother should feet discipline herself,
and she should begin that discipline long be-
fore her child is capable of reading her face,
and they can do that at a much earlier age than
many think.
II the mother is in the habit of keeping her
OWL tongue and temper under control, her
child will be likely to inherit the same faculty.
Does the mother give way to using slang
phrases or low language. her child will do the
same. She is the first teacher, learns the child
its first words, and she should be careful what
those words are.
A kind hearted nurse, as she laid little babe
in it's mothers arms, said: Now, Flo, for this
child's cake, stop this way you have OF using
improper language and slang phrases, and use
only such words as are chaste and good. You
do not want your boy TO use such language as
you have been in the habit of using, DO you!"
mo" said the mother, IL do not"
"Then begin now TO break yourself Of the
habit you have got into or 1t will be too late be-
fore you are aware of II"
The mother promised and seemed in earnest.
Three wears passed; her boy was bright,
fne-looking, little fellow. The mothers habits
were unbroken, and she would laugh to hear
him repeat her own words, words that made
her old friend shudder and turn away with
sigh, for she loved the boy dearly.
Ii is natural for children 10 follow the ex-
ample of their parents, but it does seem easier
for them to initiate faults and imperfections.
For that reason we should be doubly careful
what we do aud say.
A gentleman once took his little son to pub
lie dinner waiter came around asking each
guest what he would take to drink? He came
TO the boy before he did TO the father. The lat
ter Was watching to see what the choice would
be- The boy looking in the walters face said :
please sir, will take the same as father does.
Some had chosen wine, some brandy, but the
father quickly said: :" / will take glass Of
water.p1
Thus he saw and acknowledged the i'm
portance Of good example before his child.
IvY's MOTHER.
HIxsDALE, III.