Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-07-10
Teasing.

The other DAY OVor10dfu Oldch
eyed woman lecturing her husband as
follows:
'sMy dear, don't see how you can
think it right to tease children as you
do. You have made that child believe
it is her duty to come and live with
YOU because her father has two little
girls and you none. No doubt she is
having a real struggle between sense
of duty and love of home. 1t is a
shame to torment children that way"
''Oh, fudge" interrupted her hus-
band, tchildren are not so easily tor
mented."
Il remember how 1 used to suffer
when l was a child. There was a
was the terror of my life. suppose
he was fine fellow, but I would go a
mile out of my way, any time, to
avoid meeting him. He probably
never dreamed of the dread his teas
ing inspired in me. I had been very
fond of playing with his brothers lit
tie girls; but after he came to live in
the family I couldn't be induced to go
near the Maguires, unless knew Jim
was away from home.
ION one of those happy occasions
went there to spend the day, but just
as we were in the midst of our first
game Of pullaway, he suddenly APP
peared. Hello, sis!' he called out to
me- He was several rods away, but
without waiting to snatch up my sun
bonnet, l scrambled over the back
fence and ran home at my highest
speed. 1 feel sorry for myself yet,
whenever 1 think how I was made to
suffer by almost every grown person
of my acquaintance"
''But you were a peculiar child"
demonstrated her husband; "every-
thing you have ever told me about
yourself goes to prove it,"
'fNo, 1 was not peculiar. There are
thousands of little children that suffer
as intensely as 1 did, just because peo-
pie like to amuse themselves. Mrs.
Grayson told me she didn't know what
to do with Roy any more; the men on
the street had called him a girl, and
made fun of him because he wore kits
instead of trousers, till he was afraid
to leave the house. She bought him
q beautiful cloak, and he had cried
himself sick because it was not coat
such as men wear. He said the men
would call him girl more than ever.
iraI~ Of
men taking pleasure in tormenting
little child! 1T is shame and SIM
as grandma used to say.
81 always had a great love for mu-
sic, and when I was a child enjoyed
singing at my work or play; or would
have enjoyed it if I had been let alone,
but L seldom tried it without some one
saying, what is that strange noise I
hear?' or What are you grooming
about; are you sick?' till I grew to
think L couldn't sing, and mustn't try.
At the Normal, pupils were obliged to
take vocal music, but though 1 did
we'll in all my other studies, in music
i was a total failure. The minute I
was called up to sing an exercise, my
all left me, and my wits
took flight. Prof. P was one of the
best instructors l ever knew, and I |
now know that might have sung we'll |
re- all hope and confidence hadn't been
ridiculed out of me. consider that
wrong was done me-"
Alas, for him who cannot sing,
But dies with all his music in him."
1uo led the husband with mock solem-
nifty.
''8Iiss Willard says of her child
lood,'' she continued without appear
n to notice the interruption, g that
10 right effort was ever discouraged,
md no bud of aspiration ever chilled
rhat is the kind of encouragement
hiidren should have" =
"The first time ever left home, for
ny length of time, my Aunt Janette
invited me to spend year with her,
nd attend school. To go away to
chool seemed to me the height of
iIss. and / should have been supreme
: happy in my new school life if it
nd not been that Uncle George was
d incorrigible tease. He was very {