Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-11-10
Child Lore.

All the world. it is said, loves lover, but
it 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 vagaries of childhood. There
are gimpSes 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 yan-
ity more readily in this direction than i'll any
other.
The whimsically distorted shapes into
which the thoughts and theories of older peo-
pie are transformed in passing through q
chiliS brain are often suggestive as well as
entertaining
TIE mind" a little fellow says, sis some
thing that turns round and round IN your
resS and makes up stories"
Aui. Cp0a the whole, one is inclined to
coInmeCt that metaphySicianS do not com"
much nearer 20 any clear definition OF the IN
tellectual faculties. The drollneSs OF CELL
dren'S remarks UtteCeSt consists IN the'I
looking at things ideal or intellectual from u
strictly material basis. They measure PROB
abilities by their experience, and have not
=
beyond that apparent to the senses
The clouds" observed little 4-year-old
girl must be solid, OF the angels would
tumble through
oh, they can fly like the birds!" her
brother, , years Older, assured her.
oh no. 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 thcy can't, for they haven't any
tails"
On another occasion this same child OBJ
served tc her neither, in the most matter OF
fact tone: II wish Twas as high as themoon
AMI the stars, and then I'd take great lad
der ana ~ UP and look on Gods mantel piece
and see ii | could find any peppermlntS
there"
Children amuSe and bewilder alike by
their logic and their want of it.
Dear Aunt Susan" little Bob says, in the
fulncSS Of his admiration for his aunt, when
grow up hope | shall be just such woman
as you are
Sometimes the definitions of children are
most amusing. 4 little fellow Of years re
placed the expression "Se:S my teeth on edge
by the more original and striking phrase, ut
makes my teeth itch"
DR. Burt q. Wilder, the well-known natur-
aliSt, relates that, his parents being Graham
ties, 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 G-year-old lad gazed i'll bewilderment at
this mysterious dish for some moments, the
light of a great discovery dawning upon him,
and at length he burst out in conviction and
aStoniShment, II bet that's dead hen!'-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
It 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-
Comment OF the wee man who gets his first
genuinely masculine garments. \ little fell
low of ,, to whom had come this supreme
period Of bis existence, drew himself up
proudly before his sister Of 3, and proceeded
to impress upon her his true greatness.
"Kittie," lie observed, "you can't never
wear pants" A 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 q tone of the most commissioning
contempt, "Kittie, you can't never be man
nohow."
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 gael proudly upon her dis
treSs with the air of cOnquerOr.
Small Robin showed himself under similar
circumstances more OF a gentleman. Arrayed
in his new suit, be was at first speeches. 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
Won feel grand when"-
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 mamma! poor mammaT-Arlo
Bates in Hsrper's Monthly.