The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-12-01
1tloral ano Religious.
A Mothers Kiss.

"Why didn't you strike her back, you
silly thing?' Such were the words
which caught my ear, and made me
raise my eyes from my work to look at
little group of my pupils who were
playing near the house. A little girl
was running away as fast as she could,
whilst the others gathered round little
Amy, who was looking at her small fat
hand with sort of indecision, and at
the same time striving to repress an
evident desire to cry. Amy was a
sweet little girl, the only child of a
widow lady who had recently come to
the village, and who attracted the re-
spect and sympathy of all who had any
thing to do with her. waited with in
terest to hear the little ones reply to
the question of her irritated compan-
ion" Why did you not strike her
back ?" Bccause-because mother
would not have kissed my hands this
evening if had struck anyone" And
she sobbed aloud, softly rubbing one
! little hand red from the blow received.
1t could be seen the blow had struck
the heart as well as the hand. will
not kiss your hands tonight! What do
you mean? What funny ideal" said
the children in chorus. Mother al
ways kisses them when they have not
done anything naughty during the day.
TO give blow would be naughty; the
mother of that little girl who struck me
won't kiss her hands this evening, will
she?" And Amy lifted her innocent
eyes to her school-fellows' faces, while
they caressed and comforted her. l
went out to speak to her. Stroking her
head | said, Will you take me to
your mother, my dear?" "Oh, ma'am,"
cried all the other children, eff you
only knew Caroline struck Amy such
blow, just because she refused to 90
with her. Wasn't it bad?' OF course
l admitted it was very bad, and then
went with my little conductor to her
mother | related the garden scene to
her, and begged her to enlighten me as
to what the child had said. The mother
smiled, replying, " Perhaps it is child
ish on my part, but ever since she was
tiny baby | have liked to kiss her lit
tie hands, as well as her rosy lips.
used to put the little palm on my
mouth and kiss it till she smiled. |
have continued this habit; every night
on undressing her, if omit to kiss her
hands, Amy knows that they were not
clean from some naughtiness. If they
had been raised in anger against her
nurse or some little friend, mother
could not kiss them. And this was a
serious matter for my darling, l assure
you. And the same with her lips; if,
knowingly, bad word escaped them
or if in the course of the day my deal
child had told an untruth, could not
kiss her lips. always kissed her fore
head and cheeks, but she cared much
more for my kisses on her lips and
hands. Little by little the offences dis
appeared, and every evening she would
say, 'Clean hands, mother! clean hands
mother can kiss baby tonight And
even now that she is five years old
continue the practice, because l think
it helps her to become good. / mucl
desire that my little Amy should grow
in truth and kindness, and that every
word and act should be pure; and re
, joice if, by the kisses of her mother
God has given me means of education
pleasing to him. And mean to follow
the same plan until my child is ole
enough to walk alone under Gods eye
So, thanks to the prospective reward
the blow had not that day been re-
turned, and the rosy lips had abstainet
from hard words. Dear mothers, are
you thus leading your children in the
paths of oodness?-SelCcted