The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-11-13

when IN the presence OF childhood, 50
that no evil influence is unconsciously
exerted by them upon a young immor.
tai soul.
If parents or older brothers and Sis
tiers have differences and contentious let
them restrain themselves until child.
hood is absent. Ii a mother or father
has an unkind word to say Of neighbors,
or an adverse criticism to make upon
their dress, manner of living, business,
or any other remark not entirely Christ.
like, let them at least wait until the
children are beyond hearing. 1t is
natural and right for child to look up
to and initiate its parent, and the Fifth
Commandment indicates clearly the i'm
portance as well as the reward Of honor
ing parents.
A parent who is fond of his child
naturally watches its development OF
mind and character with great interest
and delight, but he should see to il tina.
he is not making the child vain and
proud-spirited by calling the frequent
attention of friends to its attainments
and personal attractions when it is pres.
ent. When the little one is to be com.
mended, let the parent see to it that
vanity and pride are not being engen-
dered or fostered; and so beauty OF
form or feature should never be alluded
to by the parent in the child's presence,
and its attachments should be praised
or rather commended generally in Sc
cret, that is, with itself alone. But when
the parent makes adverse comparisons
in speaking of neighbors and their chill
dren, when those spoken of are absent,
and then when in their presence COM
mends the. same persons who were
abused when absent, what q tendency
it creates to make a child deceitful and
given to- undue flattcry, SANDER or
abuse! Parents who are anxious to
have their children grow up truthful,
honest and amisble, little think of what
they are doing when prevaricatiOn,
double-dealing or evil temper is mani
tested in their own lives and conduct,
and frequently under the notice of the
child itself!
I have been greatly interested in
watching the countenance of q four.year.
old little girl, whose mother would fire.
quently reprove 1t in jest; and the little
one could read the mothers counte-
nance, or by intuition readily compre.
bend whether her mother was in Jest or
in earnest, when I could see no differ
ence In her c0untenance, words or man.
ner. Children are much less deceived
than their parents often think, and
therefore parents should always en-.
dsavor to be candid, truthful, consistent
and kind in their treatment of children,
and in oil that they say or do in their
presence. y ~ '-'-i e.
Every little boy thinks It right to do
what his papa does, and every little girl
is anxious to dress like and do Just as
mamma does; and 50 parents charac.
teristics and ways Of looking at both the
present and the future life are generally
reproduced in the lives Of their children.
I have noticed this fact in politics and
in religion. The sons tendencies are to
look at his fathers religious belief as
the only true method Of salvation, and
to his fathers political party as the only
honest and true one, and rarely can be
see any virtue or goodness in any thing
that his father opposes; but, when L
comes to habits and appetites, I notice
that, no matter how much the father op.
poses the use Of tobacco by his son, (and
have seen but rarely a father who wanted
his son to initiate his use Of tobacco,
their example nearly always proves
stronger than precept, and the son does
as he sees the father do, and not as his
father advises and teaches. A mother
who lives IN artificial life-whose idea
is to dress and make q show of her per.
sonal beauty and dress--is generally re-
produced In the lives and conduct Of her
daughters. Let us remember that ex-
ample is more powerful than precept,
and that what we do influences our
children very much more than what. we
say.-Cor. N. Y. Witness.