The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-07-18
A CORRECTION OR A PRECEDENT

A mother, who IS unusually careful
of her child, in speaking of him, re-
Gently said: 1t was great temptation
to encourage the baby talk, and laugh
at the sweet mistakes, but those little
wrong words only make it harder for
my boy to speak correctly, which he
must some day. When he FIRST began
to speak, and word came queerly, l
would smile and kiss him, saying it
after him correctly. There was no
special attempt at teaching, but learn.
ed to guard nv own words closely,
and never allowed a single wrong word
of baby's to pass without repeating it
for him, nothing being sal! about his
mistake. Soon he dropped the lisping
and the consonants came easier, and
now, at three years of age, he pro.
nounces all the words of his vocabulary
correctly. re does not always form
his sentences properly, but there is an
attempt at it which l encourage In the
true way.
1t seems pitt for this dear woman,
who follows her little boy day and
night with correction, that her child
could not have been born full grown
man, with all his faculties fully develop
ed. And indeed it no doubt would
have been better for the child had he
never had to pass through infancy and
youth, but when he first opened his
eyes on the affairs of the world. had
been possessed with all the capabilities
of his father.
Compare with the above quotation
the following from writer in the
Ladies Home Companion :" 1t
always seemed to me that they were
babies such little while that l was
quite willing they should talk little
tangled for short time; it was so
sweet to remember. Each one had It's
own peculiarly that even if it was not
quite right, they so soon got over 1t
that | really missed it. Of course, 1t
need not mean by baby talk the very
worst possible arrangement of senten-
ces, for they will talk in that way,
exactly as the surrounding family talks.
Good grammar in early life can only
be acquired by associating with people
who use it. A child unconsciously
absorbs the talk of those around it. So
if you expect your child to speak we'll,
you must do so yourself. You will
find yourself improving very much by
being careful to use the right words in
the right place. Children are great
critics, and it behooves one to be care
full before child, for they are more
penetrating than most grown persons.
Children are children only such a
little while that it is just as well to leave
little of the sweet baby ways with
them as long as it is becoming, at
least. Good manners cannot be taught
too soon, and there is quite a charm
about a child that to the baby ways
adds good manners. There is othing
so beautiful as the gentlemanly atten-
tions OF very little boy to his mother
opening doors and gates for her,
sitting a chair, putting on her rubbers,
relieving her of her bundles when she
comes in from a shopping trip. All
these are only the little attentions he
will give his girl later on, and If he has
been brought up to them, his manners
will be. only the more engaging. 1t
shows when a man learns these things
late in life, and he soon drops them
with his wife, thinking them entirely
unnecessary.
Good breeding tells all through life,
and many a man, otherwise very nice,
is completely spoiled by the want OF
it. Children should be taught early to
govern themselves there is nothing so
necessary to the formation OF char