The Wilmingtonian., 1886-11-20
Chlld Lnra.

All tnc world, It Is said, loves lover, but
1t is no less true that all the world loves chill
dren; and while we may tire Of tales of love,
however ardent and sentimental they and we
may be, we are always ready TO smile over
stories Of the Yagarits Of childhood There
are glimpses Of the awakening of the powers
of the mind in these anecdotes of children, of
which every parent has more or less to tell,
and we perhaps pardon the weakness of van
ity more readily in this direction than in any
other.
The whinsically distorted shapes into
which the thoughts and theories Of older peo-
pie are transformed in passing through
child's brain are often suggestive as well as
entertaining.
"The mind little fellow says, lis some
thing that turns round and round in your
head and makes up stories.'
And, upon the whole, one is inclined to
comment that metaphyscians do not come
much nearer to any clear definition of the in
tellcctual faculties. The drollness of chill
dren's remarks oftenest consists in their
looking at things ideal or intellectual from a
strictly material basis. They measure prob
abilities by their experience, and have not
yet learned to construct a world of theory
beyond that apparent to the senses.
"The Clouds" observed n little 4-year-oh
girl, must be solid, or the angels would
tumble through
"Oh, they can fly like the birdsln her
brother, 2 years older, assured her.
'Oh nor she replied, calling to mind the
fact that she had seen the tail feathers of
the hens clipped to keep them from flying,
'of course they can't, for they haven't any
tails.r
On another occasion this same child OBJ
served to her mother, in the most matter of
fact tone: II wish was as high as the moon
AMI the stars, and then I'd take a great lad
der and go up and look on Gods mantel piece
and see if | could find any peppermints
there"
Children amuse and bewilder alike by
their logic and their want of it.
Dear Aunt Susan" little Bob says, in the
fulness of his admiration for his aunt, "when
grow up hope l shall be just such woman
rs you are
Sometimes the definitions of children are
most amusing, A little fellow Of years re-
placed the expression "sets my teeth ON edge"
by the more original and striking phrase, "lt
makes my teeth itch"
DR. Burt G. Wilder, the wcll-linown natur-
alist, relates that, his parents being Graham
tics, his earliest years were passed in ignor-
ance Of the fact that people used flesh for
food. BY some change of opinion, however,
they came to more ordinary customs. and one
day roasted chicken was served for dinner.
The 6-year-od lad ga2ed in bewilderment at
this mysterious dish for some moments, the
light of great discovery dawning upon him,
and at length he burst out in conviction and
astonshment, II bet that's dead hcnl'--a
conclusion there was no gainsaying.
The most triumphant moment of a boys
life, everything being taken into account, is
when he first discards petticoats for trousers.
1t is TO be supposed that the feminine mind is
deprived of the ecstatic thrill of this delicious
moment, for the first trained dress does not
come until long after the child is old enough
to know that bitter is mingled with the sweet
of every cup, so that it is impossible to give
herself up to enjoyment with the same aban-
donmcnt of the wee man who gets his first
genuinely masculine garments. A little fel-
low of 5, to whom had come this supreme
period of his existence, drew himself up
proudly before his sister OF 8, and proceeded
to impress upon her his true greatness.
"Kittie," he observed, "you can't never
wear pants" pause, in which he observed
the effect of his words. "kittie, you can't
never have mustache" A second rhetorical
pause, during which the little sister looked up
with pleading eyes; and then the climax, de-
livered in a tone of the most commiserating
contempt, "Kittie, you can't never be a man
nohow.n
The accumulation of woe was too much for
poor kittie, who burst into piteous howl at
the perspective negation of her abased state,
while her brother gazed proudly upon her dis
tress with the air of a conqueror.
Small Robin showed himself under similar
circumstances more of gentleman. Arraynd
in his new suit, he was at first speechless with
sheer delight Then at length his joy found
tongue, and he burst out: "Oh, mamma,
pants make me feel so grand Didn't it make
you feel grand whenn-
But an awful consciousness came over him
that this bliss had never been shared by his
mother, and he laid his wee, chubby hand
| pityingly against her cheek, saying, pathetic
ally: Poor mammal poor mamna!9-Arlo
Bates in IIarper's Monthly