Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-11-25
60. slIURDAT NIGHT.

Of con e. not every one can drum
M enough . philosophy TO get into
narfeetlv lust aud true relation TO chill
dreD. An effort would be required
To be fair and honest with children l.
asking too much, when We hardly have
70 be that with grown persons and yet
be considered upright business people
One reas N why otherwise respeetaol'
people are often csreless in their treat
rneut o. children is beOause they thInk |
the little ones are Incapable Of paylnt |
hack and are 90 weak aDd helpless tba' |
thev cannot resent it. The seeont |
reason is probably q philosophical on'
they are afraid there is not philosophy |
enough 10 the world TO 90 around u
they should undertake tO treat childrei
sanely, il they even think at all on th'
subject.
Whlle kindness will do a great dea |
with a child it will not do all, as candy |
willnt d. for steady diet. Most peo-
pie are incapable of recognizing the
fact that q child Is as important as they
are. AL children from Infancy are al
epitome of the whole society in which
they are born and fresh installment
from The eternal decree that projected
the creation and existence Of this whole
universe aud holds It's future in the
hollow of its hand. In that light
child is a serious fact.
People are unjust in their first con-
ception Of child as something trihiag,
q JOKE, to be laughed at, grinned at,
done anything with but treated serious
ly, yet serious earnestness is the pano-
ply of a higher life that is spread over
it to protect it against the tTif1ers. But
they will persist until the little one al
three years is often so dazed and bewil-
dered by their efforts to be funny with
Il that II has lost all traces of its origin
al seriousness and wears on it's face
hopeless stare of confusion, if not idiocy
or what is worse precocity and brazen
and 30 wise, we cannot treat the little
messenger of divine love as though il
were anything but puppet filled with
sawdust, ors q jumpingjack for our
amusement. Some people are so de-
mented in their relations toward child
rem that they will even try to work off
old puns on them. Another unfair
way to act with children is not to give
them an answer to their questions, or
an evasive or insufficient answer, or a
downright dishonest answer.
Mothers aud fathers, indeed everyone
will be amply repaid for every bit OF
love and kindness shown the smallest
and most stupid child. In themselves
they will feel better, their meals will
set better. and their complexion will be
roster and their eye brighter for it. In
the little one the tiniest seed.thoughts
or acts of love from you will grow into
grand golden tokens of affection to be
expended and returned If not on you
then on others.
Recently there was death Of a two
year old, in an obscure family. The
father kept q saloon all his years and
though rather late In life had founded
q family and IN due course Of time a
little one came. A new light came in.
to his life from that day. He felt a
new love, a new sense of importance Ia
himself and responsibility to society he
had never felt before. His wife noticed
he was at home great deal more. He
cut off the evenings earlier TO be by the
cradleside aud keep the house comfort
able. A new music had entered thai
circle. He left Off drinking. He only
smoked at the saloon, all on account
OF the baby. His wife had sweeter
voice and look. His Mary was hollel
being in his eyes than she had ever ap-
peared before. He felt himself some
thing more than the careless be-bappy'
today .for-tomcrrow-y -you-die fellow be
had always been. Then In a sad hour
all this new source OF happiness was
gone. The child was laid la the ceme-
terry, The man was back in his saloon
He sat by the stove, his head buried in
his hands. Up at the long bar the
crowd surged, Ia and out, glasses clink,
ing, oaths rattling, dice shaking, money
chinklng into the till. Outside was the
roar Of the street cars, drays, newsboys
yelling, aud people tramping the side
walks. But he heard nothing Of the
noises Inside or out, He was With his
baby boy. He was kneeling eglln at
the cradle in silent alteration, listening
70 the sweet breathing and drinking
into his soul the peace aud Innocence
that streamed from the mass OF soft,
pink dlmples before hlm. Ahl The baby
awake. Then for the frolic aud romp.
IA forgets all he has been, drinking
man, bis profanity, that he Is gam
bier, In the heavenly relation OF father
and child. He Is happy aud free, pure
and innocent as his baby boy. They |
are one. They Will start Ia the new
|lfe together He shall go 10 school,
bo respected. be greater aud a better