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

bed with wounded spirit, or who shall
allow any vludictiveness of feeling TO
exist in consequence of anything the
child may have done. Sharp pointed
memories have often driven men mad
mullitudes are there who are more dead
than alive, from the ailings Of the mind,
which is wasting itself away in vain re-
morses for the ..irreYocable past. The
fault OF most parents Is over-harsh re-
proofs of their children; reproofs that
are hasly, unproportioned to the offence
and hence as TO ones own child, help
less and unresisting, are cruelty as
! ,ell as an injustice. Thrice happy Is
that parent who has no child in the
crave which can be wished back, only
if for brief space, so as to afford some
opportunity for repairing some unmerl-
ted upkindncss toward the dead darl-
inc. Parents have been many times
urged in these pages 10 make persisN
tent efforts to arrange two things ID
domestic intercourse, and to spare no
pains and no amount Of moral courage
and determination. IN order that they
should be brought about. 1t may re-
ouire a thousand efforts, and there may
be a thousand failures, as discouraging
as they are sad; still let the high re-
solve 90 out, 1T shall be done! and the
prckling of many thorn will be spared
iD after years and in old age. Tue two
points to be daily aimed at are
First. Let the family table be a.
ways neeting-place of pleasantness
aud affection and peace, and for the
exhibition of all the sweeter feelings OF
domestic lite.
Second. Let every child be sent to
bed with kisses of affection. especially
those under ten years of age.
All that is On this globe could not
hire me to be put in the place of either
the father or the mother in the follow
\ inc narration of the former editor of a
monthly Of deserved repute in Its time.
The occurrence took place in Boston
about the year 1850, and every detail is
miuutely and literally true:
y few weeks before, L. B. H
wrote 10 me that he had buried bis
eldest sou. a fine, manly little fellow oi
eight years of age, who had never
known a days illness until that which
finally removed him hence, to be here
no more. His death occurred under
[ circumstances which were peculiarly
painful to his parents. A younger
brother, a delicate, sickly child from its
birth, the next in age to him, had been
down for nearly a fortnight with al
epidemic fever. In consequence OF the
nature Of the disease, every precautiou
had been adopted that prudence sug-
gested 10 guard the other members o.
tue family against 1t. Bu. of this one,
the fathers eldest, he said be bad little
to fear, so rugged was he and so gener.
ally heal,hy. Sull, however, he KEPT
vigilant eye upon him, and especially
forbade his going into the pools and
docks near bis school, which it was bis
custom sometimes to visit for he was
but boy, aud boys will be boys and
we ought more frequently to think that
it is their nature to be. Otall unnatural
things. a reproach almost to childish
iraukuess and innocence, save me IRON
'boy.manp But to the story.
One evening this unhappy father
came, weared with long days bard
labor, and vexed at some little disapo
pointments which had soured his Hatur-
ally kind disposition, and rendered him
peculiarly susceptible 10 the smallest
annoyance. While he was sitting by
the fire, in this unhappy mood OF mind,
his wife entered the apartment, and
said:
Henry has just come in, and he is
perfect fright! He is covered from head
10 foot with dock mud, and is as wei
as a drowned ratv
Where is hep asked the ia thel
sternly.
He Is shivering over the kitchen fire
He was afraid TO come up here wher
the girl told him YOU had come home.'
Tell Jane to tell him 10 come here
this instant! = was the brief reply to this
information.
Presently the poor boy entered,
half perlshed with alright and cold
His father glanced at his sad plight, re-
preached him bitterly with his dis
obedience, spoke of the punishment
which awaited him IN the morning. Oh
the penalty for his offense, and in {
harsh voice concluded with:
Now, sir. 60 to your bed!
But, father, said the little fellow
Il want TO tell you
Not a word, sir 90 to bed y
Il only wanted to say, father, that
with peremptory stamp, an i'm
peralive wave Of his hand toward tn
door. and O frown upon his b-ow, dix
that father, without other speech, asalT
7 close The door of explanation and ex
postulation.
y when the boy had gone supperles
!, and sad TO his bed, the father sat rest
y less and uneasy while supper was beinl
i prepared, and al tca'table ate but little
c His wife saw the real cause, or the adj
ditlonal cause of his emotion, and inter
nosed The remark: