The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1885-12-31
A QUIET HOME.


A QUIET HOME.
:. Dear me!' sighed Mr.. Turmoyle,
as burst of shrill, childish laughter
sounded from the nursery down the
hall stairs and into the sitting-room
where he was making out some ac-
counts. II wish those children would
be quiet! Amt it almost bed time,
Tillie?''
They are probably undressing"
Mrs. Turmoylc replied quietly. IN
60 and see il they are ready for bed.
do keep them quiet until they
are!''
There was an interval Of profound
silence, and in about half an hour the
mother returned.
'.rhey are all asleep now she
said. tom had dressed the kitten in
Bessie's doll clothes
The accounts finished. Mr.. Tur-
moylc leaned back in his chair.
Il wish you had some management
with those children. Tillie." he said.
81 went over to Stones on business.
last evening, and you would not know
there was child in the house. and
Stone has five while we have only
three.
"Perhaps they were abcd."
'sThey were all in the next room,' was
the triumphant reply. '.Stone il proud
of them, and well he may be. There is
Willie, just the age of our Tom, study
ing Latin. instead of dressing kitten
in dolls clothes; and Amy, who will
not be four years old for three months,
reads we'll and knows the multiplica-
ton table through. Look at onr saya-
ges!''
'.They are getting along well at
school. dear. l think Mark is too
young yet to study; the others did not
go to school till they were five.''
And Tom just manages to write q
letter at twelve. while Willie is ut Lat
in grammar. And as for manners, why
Tom will make more noise alone than
all five of Stones children together. "
Mrs. Turmoyle, being y woman Of
sense, did not continue the argument,
but mentally resolved to see Mrs.
Stone the next day, and talk with her
about the wonderful secret of having
five children and quiet house.
II am sure cannot do it, the gem
tie, loving mother thought. with q
sigh.
Seated. the next morning in close
conversation. the ladies presented a
contrast as marked IS the atmosphere
Of their two homes. The tiny, blue
eyed woman. who had no heart to sup
press Toms merry whistle or Bessie s
laugh, had left home where constant
care only secured cleanliness. and
where childish disorder was manifest
everywhere except in the best parlor.
She looked at the tall, dark-haired
| woman opposite her, noted the cxqui-
site morning dress. faced with light
silk, spotless and unrumpled, and
thought regretfully Of the marks of ten
chubby fingers upon her own. printed
there when her baby boy, her darling
Mark, had just succeeded in forcing q
piece of his sssweetest candy" into
mammals mouth. She noted the dain-
~ order Of the sitting room, where
every chair stood primly in its ap-
pointed place and not even q thread
rested upon the carpet, and remem-
bcred Marks stable for his ..spress
cart" and horse under the lounge. and
Bessie keeping house on the lower
| shelf Of the bookcase.
Visions haunted her, also, Q
clippings of paper. bits of string. and
odds and ends Of dolls finery upon the
| table.
Drifting from one scrap Of matronly
talk TO another, the ladies came
naturally to the care and manage.
ment of children, and Mrs. Turmoyle
complimented her neighbor on the
proficiency Of her little ones.
II cannot understand how you &C
complish it," she said frankly.
by SYSTEM" was the reply. The
education Of my children begins.
may say, in their cradles. Az soon ii
they can walk they have their owr
proper place in their own room. and
are trained to perfect silence wher
older persons are present"
Mrs. Tnrmoyle thought Of the noisy
chorus of shouts. the eager recital d
the days pleasures or accidents. tha
greeted papa, aunties or unclcs, in hel
own nursery. and wondered If Tom
Bessie and Mark could be trained L
sit quietly in one place for hours at :
time.
'At two years of ago l teach my
children their letters. and after tha
they are sent to school. All Of then
were entered in a private school a
three years of age, and at public
school ut five. In the intervals o
school hours my boys have geographic
al puzzles. spelling games and prob
lens. and the girls arc taught I.
sew"
"But when do they play?'
ssTheir games and puzzles are sufii
cient amusement for the boys, and
allow the girls te cut and fit clothing
for large wax doll.
"But do they not have any hours 70
running. balls. kites. and other out
door playe"
II disapprovs entirely of out-doo
play; It ruins clothing, and make