The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-03-04
PARENTS AND CHILDREN.

A TERRIBLE MIsTAKE.-The mon
strous. horrible lies that are told chill
dren to make them obedient by work
ing upon their fears are numbered by
scores Such children are easily iden-
titled, for they are almost psralyzed
when they see the strangely craw ing
snake; rat or mouse, of interesting
habits, may set them into commissions;
that charming feature of the country,
the woodland, where many happy
hour may be spent, is the home of bears
that live on innocent little children;
that interesting object, the worm, about
which Darwin wrote q whole volume,
causes a shudder of repulsion; and va
rious other creations of nature that
children love to be told about become
sources of the keenest pain.
We onco knew mother who tried to
govern her children 10y telling them
that "the old man will be after you;"
in consequence of this, in fear and
trembling, they Stunned all old men
those fellow-beings of ours who are
particularly fond of children. Young
people grow out OF these fears in time,
but many of them haunt them through
life. The most lasting of these are
caused by peopling darkness with
ghosts. hobgoblins, and dangerous
men, thereby filling with terror the
darkness of night, whether outdoors or
in the unlighted room of q house.
Detroit Free Press.
HOUSEHOLD GAMEs.-It is not neces-
sary that a great amount Of money be
spent in toys and games. If the chill
dren are properly encouraged, and di-
rected little, they may prepare the
materials for their own games, thus ac-
complishing two desirable things-ac-
quiring manual and mental cility in
the manufacture and production of
something with which to be afterward
instructed ard amused. In the card
games many con be prepared on plain
bristol board cards In manuscript, in
volving simple facts in history. botany,
geography, ETC., or the always valuable
and interes ing word making game can
be prepared on small bits of cards by
drawing the letters with pen and ink,
or FASTING on letters cut from hand
bills, newspapers, etc. In board games
the cover of a paper box serves well
for the surface to be decorated with the
olden times" when this country was
not cursed with manufacturers of
games, our grandfathers cut the lines
of fox and-geese, twelve-men-morris
and checkers on the side of pile boards,
coloring the spaces, when necessary,
with red chalk, and using buttons,
red and white corn, or colored
beans for counters or men, and it is
related 10y those who claim to know that
more pleasure was derived from these
rude constructions than the children of
the present generation get from their
most elegant editions in gold and col
ors. Many most valuable and interest
ing games have gone out of the mar
ket, and are not to be bought, but
which may be reproduced under the in
structions of some older persons who
may have played them in their youth I;
and if the details are not fully remem-
bered, others equally good may be
originated.
All games are made by some one. or
by number of persons, either at once
or by slow growth, with practice and
various changes, notifications, and adj
ditions, SO that there is no reason why
any one may not originate others as
good as the best in the market, and in
one sense home made game is much
more valuable to its originator or pos
SCISSOR than another which in other ro-
spects is equally good or better-as an
original paint ng may be more valuable
than printed copy of n much better
picture, because no one'has duplicate
of it.
The invention of games and social
amusements Is as good mental exercise
as anything the schools offer, because
it requires the exercise of the inventive
faculties, in the combination and adap-
tation of knowledge already possessed,
or which must be hunted up for this
purpose. Original thought in any di-
rection exercises the inventive facul-
ties, and the construction Of games,
puzzles, anagrams, REFUSES, etc, is one
of,those exercises VIII oh are fascinating
and pleasing when once understood and
practiced. Good Housekeeping.