Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-11-17

mOlner De Called 10 weep lcdio vi
blood, aud be considered partaker OF
the fa!her's fault? II was for the criml-
nal want Of judgment and consideration
on her part. The father had come |
home wearied and discouraged in con.
nectio1 with the business Of the day, |
was sitting by the fire in a moody state
OF mind, and the mother bursts in upon |
him with the announcement OF the boys
condition, without acquaintIng herself
with the circumstances, and without
utterlng one word OF extenuatlon, but
presenting the case to the fathers mind
IN the strongest terms Of aggrayatlon.
No wonder, under oil the circumstan-
ces, the husband should have gone on
like one unpossessed Of himself. Had
the mother possessed but small share
of observation, and even less amount
of common csense, she would herself
have inquired into all the circumstances
of the case, and began the history by
extolling the nobleness of their son
then it would have had a calming, COM
pensating effect on the fathers mind
it would have been drawn away from
business, and would have nestled itself
lovingly amid the darling ones around
him.
Even if there had been no eXLenu-
oling circumstances, she ought to have
had wit. enough to have respected the
humor of her husband; she ought to
have seen 10 a moment that something
had gone wrong with him. and should
have studionsly kept from saying or
doug any thing which could by any
possibility have reused him into TEN
pest of uncomfortable passion. There
are many other just such thoughtess,
hare-brained women, who deserve
neither The name of mother nor wife,
who seem 10 glory in dashing at their
husbands the instant they open the
door, on their return from a hard days
toll of body or Of mind, and with amaz
ing volatility, pour out the mishaps,
vexations, and msfortunes of the day,
and in way, too, as If the husband was
wholly to blame, although he may not
have had the slightest connection with
them N, IN the most remote manner pos
siDle.
Another inexcusable folly was In the
father threatening to punish the child
next day; leaving the little fellows
mind to exaggerate IN his fears, and be
Lying in torture until the end came. Not
long ago, we read an account Of an
editor who sent his little son to an up
stair room. and had the door locked,
with the threat that be would be flOgged
at the end of certain number OF hours.
True TO bis word, he went TO the door
at the appointed time, and in the un-
locking of il the child was so alarmed,
that lie ran 10 the window, jumped out
and broke his neck. 1t is the limit Of
folly and the refinement Of cruelty to
threaten punishment 10 q child for a
thing done. If punishment is merlted,
1t should be inflicted aud then dismiss
ed; yet there are parents not few
who seem TO have malignant pleas
ure, after children have been reproved
or otherwise punished for a specific
fault, OF reminding them of it on every
possible occasion for months atterward /;
the certain effect of which is 10 induce
kind OF desperation in the mind of the
child and q don't care feeling, which
can not fail to have a most unfortunate
influence on that child's character for
all its life ther eater.
Let parents, then, who would avoid
an Old age of agony, in connection with
harshness, injustice, and even cruelty
to their children, remember never to
punish or even threa en- a child under
the influence of a passionate state
of mind, because the morrow may
bring death, and no compensation can
be ever made.
There is a physiological view to be
taken of this case, which may be COM
municated with profit. Even If the
child had been ever 80 much to blame,
he should have been tenderly dealt
with as 10 the present. His mind and
body had been mostintensely exercised,
and the reaction had left the whole
system in state Of complete exhaus.
ton. Iu addition, the body was chilled.
He should have been cleansed and re-
dressed with all mothers affection a
warm supper and some hot drink should
have been given him, aud he should
have been put to sleep tenderly, in a
warm bed. But instead Of all this, he
was cold, wet, hungry, 'Shivering,' sent
to bed, his feelings hurt to an extent
which words can not express. We al
most feel as if the father of the unfortu-
nate boy was entitled to the designation
of savage and his wife, q poor, hasty,
weakminded nonenity-worse than no
wife at all.-HaWs Journal.
Il like to attend weddings said Mrs.
/ L