St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-07-15
SYMPATHY FOR THE YOUNG.

/ SYMPATHY FOR THE YOUNG.
One or the Chief Essentials I. ths Rearing
Of Chlldfen.
There are few mature persons who
give sufficient thought to the griefs and
troubles Of the young of all ages. Once
we have passed the period Of childish
sorrows and trials, they seem little to
| US. and we are quite apt to make light
of them or overlook them altogether.
The little hearts are entirely unaccus-
toned to trouble. and trials that seem
to us SO trivial arc to them matters of
the greatest moment. The loss or de-
struction of doll is for the time as
much to the baby-girl As her own loss
would be to the mother.
The necessity for giving up the pets
he has raised and fed and cared for and
looked upon as his own is as great .
blow as is the loss of his farm or
the burning Of his warehouse to the
middle-aged man.
Quite too little attention is given to
the subject of property which is sup
posed to belong to children. A colt. a
calf or lamb is given to the farmers
boy when it is a tiny weaking. He is
told that it is his If he will care for it
and bring it up. It is called his prop
erty. and much fault is found with him
If it is not properly looked after.
When it is grown, the youngster comes
home from school some day to find it is
sold and the father has pocketed the
money and, with the most brutal disrc-
gard for the child's feelings, actually
laughs at the idea of his claiming it.
A man who had made almost fall
ure of life through lack of ambition.
once said that he really believed that
his entire future was clouded by treat
ment of this sort. From the time he
was a small boy until he was almost
grown it was a common practice OF his
father to promise this, that and the
other of the farm products If he would
give special attention to his work.
Time after time something was given
IN this way. each time with re-
newed and more earnest statements
that that should really be his After
awhile some emergency would arise,
and Arthur's colt, calf or lamb was re-
quired to cancel some obligation or
round out the sum of some purchase
money. There was always n sort of
apology. a pledge of something better
In the future.
II the boy objected, he was mildly re-
proved for being selfish. He was q
natural caretaker, and whatever Great
ure he took in special charge was sure
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among the most valuable of the prod
ucts of the place. But all these things
were sacrificed, and with them the
boys hope and ambition. While he
would not neglect the animals about
the farm. for he was too kind-hearted
to do that, he grew to do his duty in
careful but mechanical sort of way, and.
finally. entirely broke himself Of the
habit of thinking that anything did or
could belong to him. He grew up with
the habit of looking after other peoples
business, and the natural instinct and
personal pride which. as boy. had
been one Of his marked characteristics,
was in time entirely destroyed. His
father used to bewail Arthur's lack of
enthusiasm. As he arrived Mt mans es-
tate he seemed to have no ambition for
q place of his own or, indeed. anything
of his own. and, much to his fathers
grief, settled down as a hireling. content
to look after the affairs of others. His
father lived and died in ignorance of
the fact that his unwise conduct in de-
priving the boy of an object for ambi-
ton had dwarfed his capacity and
checked his interest II possessing
things.
It is well worth while to give 70 every
child something definitely and positive
" its own. Whatever the situation
may be every youngster should have
the privilege of earning something.
Special service should be rewarded by
tangible results. which should not be
interfercd with in any way.
The property of a child and its own
ership Of it should be as much respected
rs that Of the adult There is as much
necessity for education in this line as in
any other. and care and attention
to the cultivation of lauble ambition is
one of the most important items in the
bringing up Of children.
Probably one of the greatest trials Of
the young is being deprived Of that
which they have been led to consider as
their own. The trusting nature of
childhood takes much for granted and
should never be imposed upon or disap-
pointed. It would he very little for the
parents to set aside for some special
purpose the value of the young animals
on which $heir children have lavishcd
their choicest care. II the colt, the
calf or the poultry meant q summer
trip to some place of interest. term at
college or . few music or painting les
sons. there would be much more enthu-
siastic care in the looking after every
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