Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-06-23
The Sturp Tener.
A FAMILY PICTURE.

The following story, so admirably true to
nature, is from the pen of Judge Longstreet,
of Georgia 1t is not embraced in the
Georgia Scenes" but was published some
years ago, in an Augusta paper, whence 1t
was transferred to our columns. Our recol'
lection of it having been recently revived, we
have hunted it up, and do not believe we
could perform more acceptable service to
the public, than by publishing so exquisitely
humorous and truthful sketch
describe Georgia family. 1t is fair
specimen of Georgia families generally, the
heads of which are parents Of good sense,
good morals, and we'll improved minds. 10
be sure there are in Georgia as many notions
about parental government, as there are IN
any other country, and the practice is as vari-
Gus as the opinions Some parents exercise
no government at all others con6ne them
selves exclusively to the government of the
tongue and others rule by the rod alone /;
but by far the larger class blend these several
modes ofgovernment, and prefer the one or 9TH
er, according to the times and circumstances.
To this class belonged Mr.. and Mrs Butler,
the heads of the family which am about to
describe. Gilbert was the Christian name of
the husband, and Eliza of the wife. | was
intimately acquainted with them both before
their union and was ever afterwards admit
ted to their household with the freedom of one
of its members indeed, | was a connection
of one of them. -.a..
They had been married about eight months
when dull November evening found me at
their fre.sde. In the course OF the evening
the conversation turned upon raising children.
"By the way, Eliza" said Gilbert, 81 have
been thinking for some time past of inter
changing views with you upon this subject /;
and there never can be better time than
now, while Abrahsm is with us, whose opin-
ion we both respect, and who will act as um-
pire between US.
"Well," said Eliza, "Let me hear yours"
eff we should ever be blessed with chill
dren, eliza blushed little,) let it be fun.
damental law between US, that neither of US
ever interfere With the discipline of the other,
either by look, word, or action, in the pres
ence of the children
"To that rule l most heartily subscribe"
"When child is corrected by one of US,
lence or sympathy"
"In that, also, you have my hearty concur
renee"
LET US never correct child in passion"
"The propriety of that rule fully admit !;
but fear that shall not always be able to
conform to its requisition. l will, however,
endeavor to do so.'
well, if you will do your best, shall be
satisfied"
LET US, as far as it is practicable, introduce
among our children, the universally adopted
principles of good government among men,
That is very indefinite rule, husband.
know very little of the principles of good
government among men and much less OF
those principles which are universally ad-
mitted."
"Well, I will be little more specific. l
believe it is universally admitted that laws
should precede punishment and that none
should be punished who are incapable Of un-
derstanding the law In accordance with
these principles, l should never punish a
child who is incapable of understanding be.
tween right and wrong; nor until he shall
have been forewarned of the wrong and
taught to avoid it"
These principles seem very reasonable to
me-" said Eliza, "but they can never be ap
piled to children. If you do not correct a
child until it is old enough to learn from pre-
cept the difference between right and wrong
there will be no living in the house with ii
for the first FIVE Or six years Of its life, and
no controlling it afterwards"
Gilbert received these views of his wife
with some alarm, ard entered upon long
argument to convince her that they were er
roneous. She maintained her own very we'll
but Gilbert had certainly the advantage o
her in the argument All he could say, how
ever, did not in the least shake her confidence
in her opinion.
was at length appealed to, and | gave
judgment in favor Of Gilbert.
well" said she, 81 never was better salts
fled of anything in my life than | am tina
you are both wrong. I'll agree to this
ever correct child before it is old enough
to receive instruction from precept, and yol
do not approve of my conduct, l will ther
promise you never to do the like again"
"Well," said Gilbert, that is very fair
One more rule will settle the fundamentals
and we may safely trust all others to futur
adjustment. Let US never address our chill
dren in the nonsensical gibberish, that is 81
universally prevalent among mothers. 1t i
very silly, in the first place, and it greatly re
tards a childs improvement, in the second
Were it not for this, have no doubt children
would speak their mother tongue as correctl.
at four years old as they do at sixteen"
Eliza smiled, and observed that this wa
such small matter that it had also better b
left to future adjustment. To this Gilber
rather reluctantly y assented.
About two months after this conversation
Gilbert was blessed with fine son, whom h
named John James Gilbert, after the tw
grand fathers and himself-a profusion {
names which he had cause atterward to n
pent Just fourteen months and SIX day
thereafter, he was blessed with q fine daughte
whom Eliza named Ann Frances Eliza, atte