Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-10-14
His Baby Girl.
By FRED NYE.

l am trying to bring up a child in con
trast to myself; that is to say, in the way
it should go. In Good Housekeeping fiud
number Of rules on stable etiquette for
children:'
I Give the child seat that shall be strict
ly it's own.
Teach it to take its seat quietly.
To use its napkin properly.
TO wait patiently to be served.
To answer promptly. ri
To say "Thank you,"
If asked to leave the table for forgot
ten article to do so at once.
Never to interrupt and never to CONTRA
dict.
Never to make remarks about the food
such as II saw that turkey killed, and how
he did bleed" as onoe heard little boy
remark at Thanksgiving dinner
Teach the child to keep his plate in Or
der.
Not to handle the bread or drop food on
the cloth and floor.
To always say, "Excuse me, please" to
the mother when at home, and to the lady
or hostess when visiting, if leaving the table
before the rest of the party.
To fold its napkin and put back Its chair
or put it close to the table leaving.
After leaving the table not to return.
Now my baby has a seat-a little high
chair-whioh is strictly her own. She also
has little tray on which are her cup of
milk, plate, knife and fork, aud num-
erous things to eat. have found no par
ticular trouble in providing her with this,
but do find it more difficult to control her
impulse to crawl out of the seat on the ia
Bile and sit on the tray and her feet in the
chair than to sit In the chair and put her
feet in the tray. Sometimes she enjoys
herself by sitting on her back in the chair
and putting her heels On the tray. She is
81 years old and when 1 tell her to behave
herself she remarks very placidly, 81 don't
want TO-"
Thereupon 1 speak severely and she be-
gins to cry and says: 'Papa mustn't say
dat-papa mustn't do dat" Presently she
ceases her crying and asks me to wipe her
tears. l wipe her tears away and she Rnif-
fles little and then flashes me rogueish
look from her brown eyes-and the dimple
plays on her cheek-and she quietly takes
the cup of milk from her tray and drops it
on the floor. "Well," say, "you can't
stay any longer-you are too bad. l shall
have to take you away from the table,"
go over to her and she reaches out her arms
and remarks that she is "papa's brave little
girl" and ''papa's dainty little fairy" and
that she wants to ''go up stairs and play
wild de blocks"
What is a father to do who wishes to
bring up a child according to good rules?
Shall whip hei? Could you whip baby
who was asking you to wipe her tears9
Who was not bad or mean or ill-tempered?
Who was simply the incarnation of the
spirit of play? Who prefers blocks and
picture books and the Thousand tender and
dainty fancies of her awakening mind to
food? I might read her the rules from
Good Housekeeping, but somehow fear it
woulden't be entirely practicable. know
that she ought not make remarks about the
food, although there are times when under
the reign of professional dynasties ofcoOks,
her father drops remark or two regarding
that same-but when she looks at me with
an inte rest almost religious in it's intensity
and asks me if like pie do not feel like
incarcerating her in dungeon kept for the
infraction of etiquitte-and when she turnl
her eyes with the unconscious condescen
sion of childhood upon her grandmothe
and announces, II like grandma's pie,
even that experienced lady, who has raised
many children, knows fully as much abou
the business, judging from results, as tn.
average magazine writer, is not displeased
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