The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-24
SYMPATHY FOR THE YOUNG.
One of the Chief Essentials in the Rearin

Ofit VI tic - dtct 1-SctHtia1S IN tle nearing
of Children.
There are few ature persons who
give sufficient thought to the griefs and
troubles Of the young OF all ages. Once
we have passed the speriod 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 unaecus-
toned TO trouble. and trials that seem
10 us 50 trivial are 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.
I The necessity for giving up the pets
he has raised and fed and cared for and
I 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 a lamb is given to the farmers
boy when it is tiny weaking. He is
+ told that it IS his if he will care for it
/ and bring it up. 1t is called his prop
erty. and much fault is found with him
if it is not properly looked after.
When it Is grown. the younrster comes
home from school some day to find it is
sold and the father has pocketed the
money and. with the most brutal disre-
gard for the child's feelings. actually
/ laughs at the idea Of his claiming it.
! A man who had made almost fail
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 Arthurs colt, calf or lamb was re-
guired TO cancel some obligation or
round out the sum of some purchase
money. There was always q sort of
apology. "a pledge of something better
in the future.
If the boy objected. he was mildly re-
proved for being selfish. He was
natural caretaker. and whatever Great
ure he took in special charge was sure
TO flourish, and therefore become
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 a
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 a 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 at mans es-
tate be seemed to nave no ambition for
place of his own or, indeed, anything
of his own, and. much to his fathers
grief. settled down as 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 amb-
ton had dwarfed his capacity and
checked his interest in possessing
things.
1t is well worth while to give to every
child something definitely and positive
ly 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 he
interfered with in any way.
The property of a child and its own
ership of il should be as much respected
as that of the adult. There is as much
necessity for education in this line a. in
any other, and care and attention
to the cultivation of iauble ambition is
one of the most important items in the
bringing up of children.
Probab bly, one of the greatest trials of
the young is being deprived of that
which they have been led to consider as
uiltT own me trusting NATURE 'i
childhood takes much for granted and
should never he 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 their children have lavished
their choicest care If the colt. the
calf or the poultry meant SKINNER
trip to some place of interest. a term at
college or a few music or painting les
sons. there would he much more enthu-
siastic care in the looking after every
day matters of life.-N. Y Ledger.