The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-09-30
Unselfsh Children.

"A ACtCcI W AOuHS MOCucISs III
Scribner, taking for text the remark
that "always to receive and never to
give is as bad for children as for grown
people," offers the following sugges-
tiOns:
To be sure, there is not much they
can do for you, and what they can dc
is worth very little in itself, but just
because it develops generous
thoughifulness for others, encourage
them in all their little plans for other
peoples pleasure. Children are natu-
rally generous, and delight to make
and give presents, until they see their
gifts considered as rubbish. Probably
they are, but great deal of love can be
put into very common things. You
keep their birthdays. Encourage them
to remember the birthdays of the older
members of the family, even if their
celebrations are troublesome and their
presents useless. In the family festi-
walls let them have something to do for
somebody else. Do not let the doing
always be on your side.
I saw another birthday celebration
once, and shall never forget it. The
mothers birthday had come too soon for
the child's calculation, and there was
no preparation made. The oldest, a
sensitive, loving child of seven years,
was overwhelmed with grief, and
sobbed: mamma is always giving us
something. and getting up things for us.
and now we have forgotten her. Oh!
dear, dearn'
Close by stood little basketful o1
stones, picked up in their afternoon
ramble-just such stones as you can find
in any New England pasture lot, or by
any stone wall. But the white, inn.
perfect quartz crystals and the shining
little bits of mica seemed very beau
tiful to the child. Suddenly she no
ticed the basket. There was hurried
consultation with her younger sister, a
parade of secrecy and business, rat
thing of stones in the kitchen washba-
sin, and much dancing about and
shouts of CHOW, mamma, we've got
something for your birthday. Don't
took into that basket! Now, don't
guess--oh! you never can guess what
it is!'' $50 .s
The next morning at breakfast there
was something on mamma plate, heap
ing up the napkin so carefully spread
over it.
When the napkin was lifted there was
nothing but the little heap of shining
stones. but the children were as happy
as if they had been gold and diamonds.
Said the youngest: "Mamma, I picked
out the very prettiest, the very whitest
and shiny-est;" and the Oldest added,
1--WE washed them just as carefully last
night"
The father said afterward:
''They came to me in the evening in
great glee, for now they had something
for mamma, and they showed me the
stones, all wet and dripping in the bas-
,set-about as pitiful thing for a pres
ant as could be imagined"
A trifle, you say, put the love and de-
light that went with that worthless lit
Tie pile Of stones could not be counted
by dollars. No wonder the mother
ayes grew dim, as she looked from the
stones heaped upon her plate to the
glO wing faces of the children, and that
she carefully put the stones away. Tri-
fles like these are the very dearest Of
GE0ttSuI0S w q 1uOtuOA . AO0AVs ~ oOAAA0
day the bright eyes that shone with de-
LIGHT are forever shut from her sight,
and the busy little hands are folded still
and cold.
You never know how long you and
your children will have each other. At
best, they will not be little children al
ways. Make the life which you live to-
gethcr as happy and as full Of yourself
as possible. If you can do but little.
put plenty of love and sunshine into
chat little. It is worth q great deal to
have them grow up with the habit Of
being happy. If this habit comes-not
because every wish is gratified, but De-
cause they are always busy at some
cheerful or helpful work. never fear
that they will grow up querulous and
selfish. Children 80 trained are not apt
to fall into fashionable lstlessness, o.