The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-07-08
PRESENCE q MINo.
Tsashlhe che chIidrsu lths An and 70
ofselEcohtroi.
ITonnto GiloAef


Toronto oiobeI
Presence Of mind Is aquality much
talked Of, much honored-little cult.
yatedj yet, like most other good things
in this world, II requires cultivation 10
bring II to any degree OF perfection, for
in very few cases It Is q natural gitt.
kome people there are. doubt.
less, 10 whom Il comes nat
urally and by instinct 10 do the right
thing Of the right time and place; But
thej are lew In number. lib n again,
some people are by nature cooler.headed
than their neiglboFs, and do not
scream and otherwise become useless
Just when their services are re uired.
But this quiet compoSnre, though very
valuable, d not quite the same as pres.
ence Of mind The latter consists not
only in having your wits ready for use,
but in knowing how to use them, and
being sufficiently calm and steady in
mind to remember and turn to account
that knowledge.
Fro y the earliest possible age children
shouldbe taught self.controi, aud the
instinct Of trying TO remedy any mis-.
take or accident they may encounter.
Teach your child, Il be cuts hilself any.
where, at once 70 hold the two sides Of
the cut tightly together, to stop the
bleeding, and then 10 cry II he likes in.
stead Of, as children usually do, dancing
about, bowling and shaking the wounded
part violent y. Show him that Il be
burns or Scorches himself he can save
himself much pain by covering the place
with wet soap, or cold cream, or fuller's
earth, or violet powder, all or any Of
which are pretty sure to DO within reach
in tile nursery.
But If boys require to be taught self.
control, doubly so do girls. Having, by
nature, weaker nerves and q more vivid
imagination, they shrink from pain,
suffering aud danger ina fashion ut.
terly unintelligiUle to their brothers
But the more natural this shrinking Is,
tho more carefully should they be
taught 10 govern II. Girls should 40.
quire at least the rudiment, Of nursing
and learn the best and easiest attaina.
bic remedies for the ordinary accidents
Of daily life, just as certainly and as q
matter Of course as they are taught to
sew and 10 read. Especially should quiet
and GOODNESS be impressed on them.
Calmness Is not inSensibility, though
many people COMO nd them. A girl Il
not hard hearted and unfeelng because
she eau witness painful sights, and, L
need DO, lend a steady, firm hand to the
doctor or nurse. On the contrary, she
has usually twenty times tho sympathy
and unselfsh kindness Of that delicate
little damsel who has no command
whatever over herself, and fills the room
with shrieks, winding up by running
away the very moment an extra hand
might be useful.
It may seem hard to say 50, perhaps,
but those dainty bodies, who are so ut.
terly useless at any emergency, or, as
their friends plead, 80 highly endowed
with sensibility" those who are not their
friends make unpleasant reference to
folly and "hystcrics'l, are generally
selfish and self.absorbed to a degree
utterly unintelligibleto their more sober
sisters, who are taught to forget self,
and control 10th mind and body bytheir
large-hearted sympathy with, and com.
prehenslon Of, suffering. But the sick.
room is not the only place whore pres.
Gnce of mind Is required. Scarcely a
day passes when we do not more or less
require 1t. Thank goodness the notion
that women should faint or 20 into hys,
terlcs for the smallest thing is pretty
well exploded; still, even yet tho Oppo.
site lesson might be more strongly iacul,
Gated.