The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-11-16
Unselflsh Children.

a Letter to Young Mothers," ia
'StTi6"er's Aonfhiy, taking for text the re.
mark that always to receive and never
to give is as bad for children rs for grown
people, "ofIers the following suggestions :
| To be sure, there is not much hey can
do for you, but what they can do is worth
very little in itself, but just because it
develops pleasure. Children arc nat.
urally generous, and delight to make and
! give presents. until they see their gifts
considered az rubbish. Probably they
are, but great deal of love can be pus
into very common things. You keep
their birthdays. Encourage them to rc.
member tho birthdays OF the older mem.
bers of the family, even if their celebra.
tions are troublesome and their presents
useless. In the family festivals, let them
have something to do for somebody else.
DO not let the doing be always ON your
side.
saw another birthday celebration
! once, and shall never forget it. The
mothers birthday had come too soon for
the child's calculation, and there was no
preparation made. The oldest, a sensi.
tive, loving child of seven years, was
overwhelmed with grief, end sobbed
Mamma is always giving Us aonetl.iGs,
and getting up things for US, and now we
have forgotten her. Oh dear, dear ~
Close by stood little basketful Of
stones, picked up in their afternoon ram
ble-just such stones ~ you can find in
! any New England pasture lot, or by any
siouC wall. DuI the white, imperfect
quartz crystals and the shining little bits
of mica seemed very beautiful 10 the
| child. Suddenly she noticed the basket.
There was hurried consultation with
the younger sister, great parade of Sc.
crecy aud business, a rattling Of stones
| in the kitchen wash- basin, and much
dancing about and shouts of "Now,
mamma, we've got something for your
birthday. Don't look into the basket
Now, don't guess-oh you never can
guess what it is! !"
The next morning at breakfast there
was something on mammals plate, heap.
ing up the napkin 80 carefully spread
over 1t.
When the napkin was lifted there was
nothing but the heap of shining stones,
but the children we're as happy az II
they had been gold and diamonds. Said
the youngest: Mamma. picked out
the very prettiest, the very whitest and
shiny est; :" and tho oldest added, "We
washed them just es carefully last night"
The father said afterward
"They came TO ME in the evening in
great glee. for now they had something
for mamma, and they ahowed me the
stones, all wet and dripping in the basket
about rs pitiful thing for a present
as could be imagined"
A trifle. you say, but the love and de.
light that went with that worthless little
pile Of stones could not be counted by
dollars. No wonder the mothers eyes
grew dim, as she looked from the stones
heaped upon her plate to the glowing
faces of the children, and that she care
fully put the stones away. Trifes like
these are the very dearest Of treasures 10
o mother's heart; if some day the bright
eyes that shone with delight are forever
shut from her sight, and the busy little
hands ore folded still and cold.
You never know how long YOU and
your children will have each other. At
best they will not be little children al.
ways. Make the life which you live to.
gether as happy and rs full of yourself
as possible. If you can do but little, put
plenty Of love and sunshine into that
little. 1t iB worth great deal to have
them grow up with the habit of being
happy. If this habit comes-not be.
cause every wish is gratifcd, but because
they are always busy at some cheerful or
helpful work, never fear that they will
grow up querulous and selfish. Children
30 trained are not apt to fall into fash.
lonable listlessness, or to give themselves
up to idle grief, if disappointment and sor.
row come into their mature lives.