Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-05-13
S. M. A. c's Threatened Letter IN the Sunny
South


South
Now / will begin that theatene,
household letter by saying that
differ i'm toto with the advocates O
the switch. Punishment ma,
sometimes be necessary, but fo
Heavens sake chose one more eff
fectual and less brutalizing.
children were not spoiled in tn,
cradle, they would give but littl,
trouble afterwards, if kept, as they
so easily can be, healthy and happy
Save in the most exceptional cases
they are mirrors which reflect with
wonderful accuracy, the manners
and morals of their parents, and il
these would show to them always
but half the courtesy they use to-
wards strangers, would teach them
by example, forbearance, temper
ance, cleanliness and, above all,
honor, and then give them, in un-
stinted measure, love and sunshine,
the rod might altogether be spared
without spelling the child.
The trouble is, few mothers are
willing or wise enough to take the
trouble of training child to be
good, and resort to the switch as a
short cut to that desirable end and
fewer still have any sense of justice.
1t is automatic that it is not the
severity, but the certainty of pun
ishment that deters from WrOng-do-
ing, and that the least governed
are always the best governed. The
art of overlooking is very essen
tial part of family government, and
once child has been taught to
obey, 1 would control it barely
enough to keep it in practice. Now
maids and matrons all, don't sneer
at this as the wisdom of inexperi-
ence. I taught school once on the
no-sWitch basis and did not have
my temper ruffled throughout the
term, and have had with me for a
year, little niece, who, though
wilful and needless to the mother,
beyond description, is lovingly Obe-
dent to my lightest word. In the
abstract, l don't love children, in
the concrete, pet some of them
fearfully, but, on the whole, l be-
lie' e like dogs better. Last week
L had two, shepherd dog and her
puppy, that were the delight of my
liz, but they were badly bitten by
A rabbid dog, SO | had to have
them killed. If l had known how
| would miss them / could not
have done it. Fluff, the puppy,
was always at my heels, or in my
ap, or rolling before me holding
Up soft paw 10 shake hands. He
was the cunningest and trickiest
little fellow with soft, bright eyes,
md curly black-brOWn hair. We
buried him, Fan and l, down under
he big muscadine, and heaped his
title coffin with pink and purple
lyacinths, and whether 1 read or
write or work, | cannot get him
)ut of my mind. And as my heart |
,lings to my pet, it goes out in
to those households who
nave spoken of their dead darlings,
md for such send the following:
lately there came a letter saving,
Please write me sOmething On lit
lie Ora's death.'' So l wrote:
"MY BABY IN THE RAIN"
The low clouds gather heavily,
The big drops splash and pour,
The children at my knee
Play safely on the floor,
And fill my room with lightsome noise,
While am dumb with pain,
For, o! miss my youngest girl,
My baby in the rain.
They laid her down in stranger earth,
So white, so lovely, still.
Val My tried with trembling lips
To say, "it is Gods will
Through gate of this small dusty grave
= He took his own again."
o! falling drops, bring flowers to bloom
Ger baby in the rain.
The three bright darlings left to me
VIII grow to stature tall,
A few brief years and other loves
Their lives will claim and call,
a,
10 iife's wide sweeping train,
But one will always love me best,
My baby in the rain.
And some day DER the swelling tide,
That bounds the hither shore,
n wee, white hand will becken me,
Not lost, but gone before.
y wee, white hand, a dimpled face
That has forgot life's pain,
And Gods first smile shall show me safe |
My baby in the rain. II
Say to those girls who want to be
1ucated that it rests wholly
18th themselves. In this aye
papers and books none
eed be ignorant from choice. !
learned the little / know at
ONE, and by myself at that
ct [ wouldn't swap with either of
" three elder sisters, who each, /
came home from b0ardin' school"
it'll finished education, though
Ieirs cost dollars where mine did
)t cost cents. When the spirit l
owes me, 1 will tell them more
,out it, as well as pay my respects !
"Grandma Love-" "Busy Bee," {
Id several more, and if any of the t
Indry bachelors want a good
9th preventive let them apply for )
picture of
Yours always,
s. NJ. A. G..
Moore, Strdtton & Co. I
Pamela, CTex.,) Watchman g