Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-10
IT WOULDN'T WORK.
Parent Who Tried Bob IngersolIs
Method.

The Springfield Republican is responsible
for the following account of Yankee pa
rent who tried Colonel Ingersolrs method
with not very satisfactory results: 1t thus
relates:
Colonel Ingersoll says he keeps pocket
book In an open drawer, and his children
go aud help themselves to money whenever
they want it. "rhey eat when they want
to they may sleep all day if they choose,
and sit up all night if they desire. l don't
try to coerce them. l never punish, never
scold. They buy their own clothes and are
masters of themselves y
A gentleman living on Marshall street,
who has a boy that is full as kitteny as his
father, read the article and pondered deep
ly. He knew that Colonel Ingersoll was
success at raising children in the way they
should go, and he thought he would try it,
The boy had caused nm considerable an
noyance and he made up his mind that he
had not treated the boy right so he called
the boy in from the street, where he was
putting soft soap on a lamp-post in order to
see the lamp-lighter climb it, and said to
him:
MY son, l have decided to adopt diff
ferent course with you. Heretofore | have
been careful in giving you money, and have
wanted TO. know where every cent went to,
and my supervision has, no doubt, been
annoying to you. Now Pm going to leave
my pocket book in the bureau drawer, with
plenty of money in it, and you are at
liberty to use all you want without asking
me- L want You to buy any thing you de-
sire TO buy your own clothes and feel as
though the money was yours, and that
you had not to account for it. just make
yourself at home now and try to have good
time"
The boy looked at the old gentlemen,
put his hand on his head, as though he had
'sgot 'em sure" and went out to see the
lamp,lighter climb tina. soft-soap. The
next day the stern parent went out into
the country shooting, and returned on the
midnight train three days later. He
opened the door with ch-key, and a
strange yellow dog grabbed him by the
elbow of his pants and shook him, ne said,
"like the augur.
The dog barked and chewed until the
son came down in his nj ght-shirt and called
him off. He told his father he had bought
that dog of fireman for Sll, and it was
probably the best dog bargain that had
been made this season. He said the fire.
man told him he could find man that
wanted that kind of dog
The parent took off his pants, what the
dog had not removed, and IN the hall he
stumbled over birch-bark canoe the boy
bought of an Indian for 50, and an army
musket, with an iron ramrod, fell down
from the corner. The boy had paid Sc for
that. He had also bought himself an
overcoat with sealskin collar and cuffs
and complete outfit of calico shirts and
silk stockings.
In his room the parent found the marble
top of soda fountain, wheelbarrow, and
a shelf filled with all kinds OF canned
meat, preserves and crackers, and barrel
of apples. A wall tent and Blk pairs OF
blankets were rolled up ready for camping
out, and buckskin shirt and pair OF
corduroy pants lay on the bed ready Tor
pulling on. Six fish poles and basketful OF
fish. lines were ready for business, and an
oyster can full of grub-worms for bait were
sauirming on the washstand. Inc old
gentlemen looked the layout over, looked
at his pocket book in the bureau drawer, as
empty as contribution. box, and said
:. Young man, the times have been too
flush. We will now return 70 specie
bas,a When you want money come to me
and / will give you nickel, and you will
tell me what you intend to buy with 1t or
I'll warm you. You hear me