New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-04
"REMINISCENCES or BOTHOOD.

4 CHRISTMAS FFAST WHERE THE SONS VEIL
TOO OLD TO FEAR THE ROD.
"w. had a reunion last Christmas" said New.
Yorker yesterday the first since we left home.
Sine Of ns all brothers gathered around the table In
tho big Kitchen u the old farmhouse and father sat
at the head Of course. looking much the same a.
ever except that his hair white and his shoulders
a little more stopped than they used 10 be; bnt ]
guess lie could do n better days work In the field
vet than any Of us. We nine boys had oil becn
raised there and had given tho old man no end OF
trouble I'm the process. We hsd left the farm and
were all doing pretty well for ourselves IN various
parts OF the country, and five of MS brought wives
and children to the Christmas reunion.
"'Fnther' said Tom. lawyer. what IS that
row Of trees along the lane. don't remember them =
"'whnts the matter with your memory. boy =
asked the old man, surprised Those were planted
there before yon were born. They're blrchcs.'
"'Why. that's So replied Tom with laugh In his
eyes: 4 remember them now. You used TO cut your
birch rods there 10 lick rs with. That kept the
trunks Sc bare that now they've grown up bnshy J
did not recognize them
"Thcn we all had a good laugh for the old man was
a fnmous thresher and a firm believer In solomon's
rod and rcproof rivc wisdom theory
"'Nonsellec. hoy,' said father. flushing red rs he
glanced guilty at the handsome young wives about
him. who seemed 10 he wondering II that old chap had
ever dared o. tlrcsl their husbands
"'Do Won remember the day father made uS nglf
each other. Tomr asked WILL low preacher
".rndccd I do chlmcd In Bob the doctor. i
never saw n better fight. II happened thlS way ne
continued. 'Will and Tom were having little spns
on Sunday behind the barn. when father came along
md caught them ut It, "Flghng again he shouted
And on Sunday. you young scamps' Now, III
Give you enough fighting to last for some ime' and
NJ that he ordered them to pitch IN ngnln and enforced
his commands By couple Of cuts with MS horSc-whip
The boys were well matched and rIcy fought hard
Whenever they showed signs Of quitting tho horse
whip stirred them up again, al. When father was
satisfied they were OF tho worst licked boys yon
over saw They sworc peace that lasted long tmc'
".Don't listen to them. my dears.' said the old man
10 the young wives.
",Any bad halits we've GOT said Fred the civil
.ncinccr arc due 10 fathers training DO You re
member how r licked you. Harry = he asked OF tho
Youngest, an architect
T. shall never forget &C. replied Harry feclncly
but preferred II to one from father. Father dc
cldcd 10 noh us both for stealing apples he contm
ued lie took us up to the spare room. vince there
was plenty Of space and he began on Fred. lie was
mixing n good Job Of II. when he thought Of some
thing he had 10 do that could not walt. lie went
out OF the room for time and when hc got back Fred
had stopped crying and I was rubbing myself III
anticipation and looking exceedingly miserable
began TO whine too, from apprehension, nnd the old
man evidently thought that nc nGld nckeu me- 81
he grabbed Fred and gave him another. Fred was
too surprised 10 explain at FIRST and then he thought
II must be n continuation Of the first punishment
which had only been Interrupted. when lie thought
II WINS finished Finally father threw us both out OF
the room Then understood his mistake.
Fired threatened TO so back and tell begged
him not to- Finally settled 1t that Fred was 10
HEX NE Instead but that was TO have the privilege
Of hitting back. on those terms we went out belind
the barn aud Fred took awful satisfaction the
Justice felt 10 be on his SIDE md his own righteous
Indignation causing my retaliation to be OF the weak
est sort
"rhcse bows viii make yon think | was harsh
yrant Instead OF "A TOO lcinent parent shd Ihther
but his daughters-ln-lhw looked at him sicrnly.
""To show YOU what scamps they were, he con
unued .I'll tell YOU how found out that theS
smoked. Their grandfather visited MS one CHRIST
mas and brought out his pipe after fnner1 toiu
him that none OF my boys ever smoked ~ mat 50
BOYS says he Yes grandfather. thnt's so,' .hey
all said at once and looked proud 81 them Ihen
grandfather told the boys what bad habit smonns
was and to show them how nasty tobacco thsteh
lie offered them q fcw whlrs from bis strong o'd Lpr
expecting 10 sec them turn seek. Grnvev thcy topH
n in turn smoked II while and passed IL along
Not ono OF them Turned n hnr."