Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-03-21
A QUIET HOUSE.

"Dcar met, sighed Mr.. Turmoyle, rs
burst of childish laughter came from
the nursery down the hall stairs and III
TO the sitting room, where he was max
ing ont some accounts. ~ wish those
children would be quiet Amt il most
bedtime, Tilie?'
"They are probably undressing" Mrs.
Turmoyl replied quietly. "I'll go and
see if they are ready for bed"
ADO keep them quiet until they are, "
he said
There was nm interval Of profound 81
lence, and in abont M hour the mother
returned.
"They are asleep now" she said.
Tom hid dressed the kitten in Bessio's
dolls clothes.
Tho accounts finished, Mr.. Turmoyle
leaned back in his chair.
II wish you had some management
with those children, Title" he said. II
went over to Stones on business Inst
evening, and you would not have known
thoro was child in the house. And
Stone has five, while we have only
three"
"Perhaps they were nll abcd."
"They were all in the next room"
was tile triumphant reply. Stone is
proud OF them, md well he mny DO.
There il Willie, just the ago Of our
Tom, studying Lntln instead Of dressing
kittens in doll's clothes, and Amy, who
will not DO four yonrs old for three
months, 'reads well, and knows the
multiplication table through. Look Mt
our snvagcs'
"Ihoy are getting along well ut school,
dear. think Mark iS too young yet to
study. The Others, did not 50 to school
until they were liyo.'
"And Tom just manages to writo n
decent letter Mt twelve, whilo Willie IL ut
Latin grammar. And ns for manners,
why, Tom will mako moro noise alone
thah Stones five children nll put to-
gethcr."
Mrs. Turmoyle, being II woman OF
sense, did not continue tho argument,
but mentally resolved TO see AIRS, Stone
tho next day, and talk with hor about
the wonderful secret of having five
children and n quiet home."
I'm sure ] cnn't do i'll" the gentle,
loving mother thought, with sigh.
Seated the next morning, IN close
conversation, the ladios presented u con-
trast M marked ~ the atmosphere Of
their own homes. The tiny blue-eyed
woman who hnd no heart to suppress
Toms merry whistle or Bcssie's hilvcry
laugh, had loft homo where constant
caro- only secured cleanliness, and whore
childish disorder was manifest every
where except in the best pnrlor She
looked nj tho tail, dark haired woman
opposite her, noted tho exquisite morn.
ing dress, fnccd with light silk, snotless
md unumpled, and thought regret
lly of the marks of ten chubby fin
gers upon her own, printed
there when her boy baby, her darling
Mark, had succeeded in forcing piece
of his sweetest candy into mammals
mouth. She noted tho dainty order Of
tho sittingroom, where every chair
stood in its appointed place. and not
even " thread rested upon the carpet,
and remembered Marks stable for his
"sprcss cart" and horses under tho
lounge, and Bessie keeping house ON
the lowest shelf Of the bookcase.
Visions haunted her also of snip
pings of paper, bits of string, and
odds and ends Of dolls iinery upon the
table.
Drifting from one scrap OF mntronly
talk to another, tho ladies came natur-
ally to the cnre and management Of
children, and Mrs. Turmoylo compli-
mentod her ncighbor upon tho appear.
anco of her house and the proficiency
Of her little ones.
" don't understand how YOU accom-.
plsh il, she said frankly.
by system was tho reply. "rho
education of my children begins, | may
say, in their cradles. AS soon ~ they
can walk they have their own proper
places in the room, and are trained to
perfect silence when Older persons are
present
Mrs. Turmoylo thought Of the noisy
chorus of shouts, the eager recital of
the days pleasures or accidents, that
greeted papa, auntics and uncles in her
own nursery and wondered il Tom,
Bessie or Mark could he trained to sit
quietly in one place for hours alta time.
AT two years of age teach my
children their letters. and after that they
nre sent 10 school All Of them were
entered nj three years Of age ut Il pri.
vate school, and nj five Mt public one.
In the intervals Of school hours my
boys have geographical puzzles, spelling
games and problems, and my girls ARE
taught sewing
But when do they play
"rheir games and playsare sufficient
for the boys, and allow thogirls 70 cut
and fit clothing for large wax doll
But do they not have any hours for
running, balls, kites, and other outdoor
playf"
II disapprovo entirely of outdoor
play. 1t ruins clothing and makes chill.
dren rude. They have outdoor exer-
cise IN long walk to and from school.