Litchfield enquirer., 1881-06-02

NAAAAASd "OiC HUI db oCuOOl GuC1 Aou bO UC AA the house, and everybody knows that five children, four of them boys. can make almost any amount and kind of noise. And although Mrs. Dobbs scolded and fumed she could not make grown up people out of these little folks She was in the kitchen ''doing up" the dinner dishes so did not Know that Tommy, the lit- tie three years old, had the chairs in row, himself seated upon the table, holding tow string, which was fastened to the furtherest chair, playing stage" he said.
 Billy and Harry were playing marbles, and had the carpet kicked up Tn sundry places, while baby was amusing himself by examin ing the contents of the work drawer, which Tommy had left open in his search for string. The mother, tired and cross came in; her face turned red and her eyes flashed, IS she saw the topsy- -turvy room.
 ''Such looking place!" she exclaimed. sGet up and fix that carpet" administering s cuff on Billy's ears and aiming one at Harry. Il declare you'll set me crazy yet Tommy Donbs, how many chairs do you want Put every one away and get off that table"
 Tommy scrambled down, and Billy and Harry took themselves out nf the room. .ls..I declare, wish there never had been a bdss Born, she said, as she vigorously com menced putting things in their places. 's1ll be so glad when you're all grown up and gone from under my feet"
 t'Hush, hush Mary; don't say that" said Aunt Beckey, coming down the stairs, you'll be sorry some day that they're grown up. They are less trouble now than they'll ever be-"
 ri can't see how that ie" said Mrs Dobbs. They certainly are mors trouble now than they can be then.''
 ''Now they are band trouble then they may be heart trouble" said the old lady, sad y. "7onre always taking their part, aunt Beckey,' said her niece, ''1ou and Robert never can see any faults about them. If you both had the bringing up of them you'd ruin them.
 'How so. Mary p
 ''You'd humor them to death"
 ''I don't think anybody can accuse either Robert or me of humoring the children" said Aunt Beckey.
 T should like to know what you call it then ?''-
 T think Robert loves to pet his children and So do l."
 "There. knew you must admit it, '" said her niece triumphantly.
 ''No 1 do not admit it, Mary" said the old lady. "Petting them and humoring them are two different things. Humoring them is letting them have their own way in matters where they are not capable of discerning right from wrong. Petting them is fondling them coddiing them; and that hurts no child"
 Harry" said Billy. as tEey stood on the steps, after their mother had sent them out of her way, "Harry, let's go down to Ben John sons and play on the tavern steps"
 "Well, let's" said Harry, eagerly. "Old Ben likes to have us boys down there. They say he throws pennies sometimes and the boys that catches 'em can have 'em."
 ''Providing he spends them in his grog shop for candies or anything" said Billy. Moth CTS awful cross, amt she 7" lie continued, as they jumped over the back fence.
 "Yes, said Harry s'I don't believe she likes us like Phil Carter's mother does him. She lets him play in the house as much as he wants to- and what do you think Billy? She says she'd rather Phil would have house full of boys there than that he should run down street and play!"
 ''Mother was awful good, though, when you were sick last winter" said Billy ''She a bahy. and one day, 1 remember, she cried all day long. because the doctor said he was afraid you were worse."
 That's so," said Harry, somewhat pug zled
 By this time they had reached the tavern As it was rainy day the place was well pat ronized. Gangs of men and boys loafed around the door and upon the piazza.
 The Dobbs boys were shy about going in, as it was the first time they had ever visited the place, but finally seeing some of their com- panions there, they took courage and went up the steps.
 They enjoyed the games of pitch penny and the coarse jokes of the men with pleased sur fnv tlaxy ho,, well pleased with their afternoons entertain ment, and made up their minds to go there again.
 They were not at all afraid that their moth- CT would find out where they had been; for she never asked them any questions concern ing their whereabouts, as long as they were not troubling her with their noise; though to 10 her justice, she would have been sadly 'roubled had she known where her boys had spent the afternoon.
 Nothing grows faster than children This is hard to realize, where one has the care of so many as composed the Dobbs family. At least Mir. Dobbs thought so, and, although as years passed on and no more were added to her flock, she saw no cessation from toll. The children were almost grown, still she found j iust as much cause for fretting as ever. The especially Harry. were fond of coiIi- pany; but their mother would never allow them to invite their chlms to the house to sperd the evening.
 Il is all nousensc" s.e said. II have enough boys of my cwl 9 clean up after. You shan't bring whole pack to muss up things"
 But will clean up," t;mdly said Grace, pleading for the boys.
 ''I tell you 1 won't have in; that's enough" and Grace knew it was of no use to coax. Il am afraid that Harry is going in bad mother," said Mir Dob5s one even- ing, when they were alone.
 What makes you think SOP" said Mrs. Dobbs looking up quickly from her sewing
 Il have reason to think that he loafs around the taverns nights"
 Well its your place to go there and bring him home. l don't see what gets into the boys Billy IS as grum as bear, too. Seems like they'd rather be any place than home."
 A. that moment Harry entered.
 w here have you been?" inquired his mother, in sharp tone.
 Harry made no answer, merely mumbling out something entirely inceherent.
 Il want this stopped" said his mother.
 ''The next time you come home after bed time, y0a can stay out all night"
 Harry walked on up stairs, never replying to his mother.
 ',No, no, mother," said Mir. Dobbs, ''dont do that" .......
 .'Yes will," she answered. decidedly. "That'll teach him to come home in sea- son." As7
 "Maybe not" said he. ''It might drive him away entirely .s
 Il declare, Robert Dobbs, if you had your way, not one of the children would ever be punished,' said she, vigorously shaking out her sewing, and folding it up, and preparing to retire for the night
 ''l believe in punishing them, but not per haps in the way you mean. Harry is too large to be whipped, of course, and a punish ment that brings with it anger and resentment will never generate good effects"
 Mrs. Dobbs did not reply, and her husband talked on more to himself than as if any per son were listening.
 ''lf the doors of his fathers house are closed against him, where will he go? That must not be; DO, no but how shall draw hlm away from these evil influences Harry is good natured, noble-hearted boy, but he has fallen among thieves, who will strip him of