New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-05-14

1t they cannot reach it, they stand on
the rounds Of their chairs to hs able to
stretch farther, or leave their chairs
and go round the table for what they
want. They drink fast, eat fast, and
till their mouths SO full and so rapidly
that if not choked the wonder is that
half the children do not die of indiges-
ton.
IT no attention is paid by the parents
to their children's habits of eating, what
can one expect but that they should
with these habits acquire large and
very annoying stock of selfshness-
eager to secure the best on the table
before anyone else is helped, vexed if
brother or sister is served first, or
snatching the food from each other
with q snarl, as animals growl over
their food? If no attention is paid to
their manner of eating, very few chill
dren will acquire pleasant table man
ners. Aside from eating too fast, they
make others, particularly those who
sit near, uncomfortable by the disa-
greeable noises they make in chewing
their food, smacking their lips, and
other very annoying ways of disposing
of their food in the shortest possible
time.
Why do not all parents look beyond
their children's early DAYS. and see
how awkward they will be when grown
up if allowed to contract such rude
manners in childhood? Why not be-
gin early to teach their little ones to
eat slowly, without any noise, to fold
their napkins, to lay their knives and
forks on their plates in the proper po-
sition, side by side, instead of leaving
them on the table-cloth, or thrown
carelessly on the plate Whynot teach
them to sit quietly when they are
through their meals till the rest of the
family are ready to rise, unless the
school compels them to leave earlier
In that case, why should they not be
taught from the beginning that they
should not leave the table without ask
ing to be excused ? That permission
granted, why not teach them to rise
quietly, without pushing their chairs
rudely back, and, on leaving the room,
to say "good morning p Instead of
this, SO easily learned if parents will
only give little attention TO it, how
many children, without regard to the
comfort of those who remain, Jump off
their chairs, giving them a push, often
so roughly as to send them over, leav-
ing their napkins, perhaps, on the
floor, and their plates, knives and
forks in disgustingly untidy condi-
tiOn, and then, with boisterous flour
ish, loud talking, without the slightest
semblance of respect for others, rush
from, tho r0Ov,o onI ho,,co xr,;<l> no 4
clatter and racket as if drove of
animals had been let loose.
If this was only one of the little
things which belong to early childhood,
and which would pass off as they grow
older, it could be endured. But rough,
rude, ill-mannered children seldom
make refined, courteous, respectful
men al women; and if of proud,
sensitive nature, and quick to observe,
they will, while recognizing their de-
ticiencies, shrink from being in society,
and become awkward. ll-tempered and
m0rOse men and women.
Any kind of rudeness and all ILL.,
hammered acts, if unchecked at the be-
ginning, will lead to others. When
children are allowed every liberty at
the table, the same license will be taken
in other things. In how many families
of the present time are children taught
that it is the height of rudeness to in
terrupt another when talking? 1t is
enough to make person dumb to at
tempt to carry on any conversation
when irrelevant remarks are constant.
ly thrown in. If one is telling a story
it is almost impossible to 90 through
with it with any hope of interesting
those present if interrupted with COM
ments, questions or criticisms. Let all
this come when the first speaker has
finished. That Interruptions are not
only annoying to most people, but aft
VI while completely silence some peo-
pie, will be readily understood. It is
too evident for any one to doubt. Yet
those very ones who the least like to be
interrupted are often the most ready to
practice such rudeness on others.
What is the hurry? Surely any re-
marks worthy of utterance will keep
till the one speaking las finished. But
if parents commit such rudcness be-
fore their children, would it not be
strange if their children did not follow
their exampleP How many things pa
rents carelessly do that, while children
are young, look too Insignificant to no.
tice, but which will be found to have
sunk deep, taken root, and year by
year. grow stronger and stronger, until
they become grave faults that cause
the parents great sorrow, and seriously
injure if not destroy the child.-M,'s.
II. W. Beec1ter. IN Christian Union.