Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-05-22

had dWelt IN mildly spoken sentences.
Obedience had seemed spontaneous.
Act followed word as by snchsntment.
Ere yet her thoughts ran clear. came
a new occasion for prompt work. Left
only few minutes to themselves, the
natural tendencies Of the children had
borne them away into strife. Johnny,
the master of discord among them, for
getful of the pleasant breakfast sea-
son, was at his old tricks again; and
the sign thereof was a passionate
scream, followed by loud accusations
from Lydia. r.
Mrs. Lawrence sprung to her feet,
under the usual sngty impulse felt on
these occasions, and, with the will
to punish in her heart, strobe across
the room and was in the hall before
thought and memory arrested her
steps. ....
'No-no-no! This is not the wayr
And as she said this, she drew both
hands tightly against her breast and
stood still for some moments, the
strife between the children yet going
on. Then, with a deliberate move
ment' she went up stairs to the nurse
ry, where the children had gone after
leaving the breakfast room Her
usual way of coming upon them when
they were in trouble among them
selves was with loud imperious de-
mand, and hurried execution of pun
ish.nent on the one that appeared, at
the first glance, most in fault. Nearly
always a certain degree of injustice
was involved in these punlshments,
and their effects we're, in consequence,
evil instead of good. OF this she was
often painfully conscious.
So quietly did Mrs Lawrence now
enter the nursery, that the children
were not aware of her presence until
she was half across the room. Sud-
denly the strife ceased, and Johnny
and Lydia. who were in angry con-
tention, hushed their discord and
stood with rebuked shamefacedness
before their mother, in marked con-
trast with their usual air of logged
defiance or shrinking fear on these un-
happily to frequent occasions,
This Is very sad, my children said
Mrs Lawrence, with grief instead of
anger in her voice. And then sitting
down among them, with calmness and
patience, went to the real cause OF
trouble, and succeeded in gaining what
she had never gained before, mutual
penitent acknowledgement of wrong,
and a promise to be kinder and more
forebearing one towards another.
1t would require many pages to
give all the incidents, trials, self-dls'
clpline and self-conqests on that day;
and they would be found deeply in.
teresting to every true mother. BY
the strength of genuine love for her
children, into which flowed q heaven
ly power, Mrs. Lawrence kept the bal
ance Of her mind; and when the eve.
ming shadows fell again, and her hus.
band came home, there was sweet
tranquility, order, love and peace in
their dwelling. s....
How pleasant the children are with
one another, said Mr.. Lawrence: in q
low voice. leaning toward his wife, as
she sat sewing, after tea, and glancing
at Johnny and Lydia, who were read
ing together from the pages of the
same book.
yes She answered no further,
but, looking toward the children q few
with a calm, almost serious,
vet not troubled face, let her eyes fall |
again upon her sewing. But
he eyes OF thought were looking
away down into her soul, and coming
The lessons of the days experience
written in strong characters.
You must have discovered q new
method of government said MIR. Law
renee.
The eyes of his wife were again lift
ed to his face.
Il have. was her simple answer.
'lndeedl Well, it seems working to
. charm. Does it involve a secret?
mo. Her eyes, IN which light and
feeling began to play, were still upon
his face.
On what is 1t founded2'
'On self-gevernment.' Her eyes
fingered in those Of her husband for a
and then fell down upon her
work-llngered just long enough for
him to see tears beginning to suffuse
them.
Nothing more was said. They un-
derstood each other. Bat the lesson
of that day was the lesson of all sucss
ceeding days for Mrs, Lawrence.
Many years have passed since then;
and ali who know her family consider
it the best ordered, and her children
the best disciplined, of any within
their circle. She had learned the bet
ter way, and, learning, walked there