The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-07-11

sery must give this impulse chance to
become habit and strike deep root in
some congenial Soils The small boy who
DULLES the nursery furniture and considers
somebody else responsible for every infan-
tile bump, will bully his playmates by
and by, and accuse every one but himself
when things go wrong; and the little fist
that was so quick to pound an offending
chair will Ill bear restraint when com
rade offends. This applies more espec.
tally to those autocrats of the nursery,
only children, or children 80 much younger
than their brothers and sisters that they
miss the wholesome friction and restraint
of conflicting and occasionally dominating
interests. But in every family where
children are under the care and influence
of nurses there is occasion for discretion
in this matter. The mother Of one inn
perious little fellow early recognized his
tendency to self-assertion and resentment
under supposed injury. AS she had
special reason to dread the development
of these traits in him, she sought, while
he was a mere baby, to modify them.
Whenever the baby's head and the door
knob came in collision they were mutually
condoled with, while baby was made to
/ N
bout with the rocking-chair was compro-
missed to the satisfaction of all parties by
the application OF brown paper to the fore
head of the baby and the rocker of the
chair 1t was found that the supposed
injuries of his fellow-sufferer diverted his
attention from his own, serving that pur.
pose as well as the retaliatory method,
while teaching him self-forgetfulnes and
sympathy. 1t did not seem wholly laugh.
able to that mother when, at three years
of age, she saw him, supposing himself to
be alone, turn and alphabetically kiss the
doorstep upon which he had inconsider-
ately slipped and bumped. The child
was one who instinctively thought every
injury intentional, and whose native i'm
pulse was revengeful blow or kick. A
temperament sensitive to affront, miscon-
STRUNG the slightest act into an insult,
quick in resentment and slow in forgive
ness, inevitably brings keen pain to all
lives closely associated with it, and any
modification of these traits during child
hood is a far-reaching blessing. This
mother felt that, although her imperious
aud hot-tempered little man might grow
into an imperious and hot-tempered big
man, he would never be so incousiderate
of others as he might have been, had he
not kissed that doorstep. thoughtful
ness for others and sense of mutual
responsibility certainly can be taught very
young children; and one of the many
ways to teach it-one of the little WAYS
which it is not safe to ignore or disrespect
is not to let even the baby suppose that
anybody or anything wantonly INJURIES
him; to teach him that accidents are
purely accidents, for which he is likely to
be as much to blame as any one else
often the most so-and that, if he is hurt,
he must not forget that the other party
may be hurt too, and needing sympathy
as much as he. 1t is frequent thing to
see large children angrily resenting the
most evident accidents, and sullenly reit-
Grating, ale meant to- che meant to hurt
me-see if don't pay him for it," etc.,
etc. Defective nursery training must
share with natural depravity the response
bility for some of these unlovely NANTES.
tations. Magnanimity may be virtue of
slow growth, but the seed should be
planted all the earlier and tended the
more carefully for that reason. Since the
small things of life sum up its happiness,
and the everyday mental attitude and
mood of friend affects our comfort more
than spasmodic exhibitions of the great
est nobility or heroism, no ungracious ten
dency IS too Insignificant or possible grace
too elusive for thoughtful treatment in
the development of a child-Mary II.
Burton, in Our Continent.