The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-12-23
A FATHERS RESPONSIBILITY.
He Should Share With the Mother in the
Family Cares.

He Should Share With the Mother in the
Family Cares.
1t is always said that ii is the mother
who forms the character of her boys,
and as she trains them IN their infancy
and youth, so will their manhood be,
and few noted men have been held
up as examples of this statement. This
may be true to some extent, but l, for
one, feel called upon to speak out in
"meetin' " in behalf of the mothers
who have tried by every means in their
power to bring their sons up IN the
way they should 60. and then perhaps
have failed. Take a mother, for in
stance, who is thoroughly conscien-
tious woman, one who tries by precept
and example and with the fear of God
in her heart, to train her boys and girls
to be noble men and women; she has,
however, linked her distiny with man
who is an unbeliever in everything that
his wife regards as SO vital. SO import
ant to the object she has in view. His
ideas of what it takes to make a man,
are oftentimes very different from hers.
AS children, from the hour of their
birth, seem to the mother 10 be part
of her very existence, and are seldom
out of her thoughts in her waking
hours to the father they are simply
the toy OF an hour, TO be lightly cast
aside as he goes out among men, leav.
ing them 10 the care of the one he has
chosen to be helpmeet and COM
panion, and not merely a household
drudge. always at work, always weary,
body and mind, with worn out nerves,
still striving to do her duty to the little
ones who have been placed in her
care. She may have them trained as
well as anyone can train healthy, mis-.
chievous, playful children, but If the
father swears in their presence, or
curses them when angry over some
trihe, how much longer the impression
of such tIaining will be copied, even
they are not allowed to use such-[f5n
,guage. ~
The loud, clustering tones, and
storming maner, they think is manly
lor all children are born imitators, and
one such lesson from the father they are
seldom with will do more harm than
dozen for good from the mother, who
is their constant companion.
Perhaps the father is perfect fault
finder, and is continually reploaching
them or their mother for their lack of
manners, though never trying to teach
them, either by word or deed, anything
himself and would not give word of
praise when they try very hard to do
right, or show him nicely learned
lesson, believing it will spoil them to
praise them. Should he, however, feel
III an unusually good humor, he will
teach them some rude play, or coup
let from some foolish song, that will
cause their mother no end OF trouble
for if there is anything child will re-
member it is rhyme.
1t would have been good thing
had the Catechism been written in
rhymes. l think there is great differ
ence IN families in regard to diSposl'
ton some children seem born "con-
trary," and are naturally stubborn and
hard TO conquer, and l have noticed
this trait frequently in the children of
parents who are noted for being "sot
in their ways So it must be as much
in inheritance as in training. Take the
noted men who have given their
mothers credit for the positions they
held IN after years, they are very few in
comparison to the thousands who have
passed their lives in obscurity, and to
how their lives were spent, or who got
credit for their early training, tradition
saith not, but doubtless they all had
more or less of the training natural
mother.love would give, which would
in nine cases out of ten be more for
good than i'll.
The very characteristics that enabled
these men of note to reach the posi-
tions they held in manhood were
doubtless in heart and brain in child
hood and youth a naturally respectful
manner, a kind heart and loving dis
position that gave their mother a
chance 10 train them wisely; a dispo-
sition that would listen 10 her counsel,
heed ner admonition and bear with her
reproot.