St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-07-08

JULY
eAo TREATMENT OF CHILDREN
Evil Results Of Cearses P.zvasA ~ Ig.e
- rant CT Aallclo1s N1rses.
There is NO doubt that much Of ths
nervousness from which men and
women suffer can be traced to the bruta
and inhuman treatment of ignorant o.
malicious nursery maidA The writer
well remembers, when . very small
child, having as q nurse . woman ol
over fifty years of ago, who had beer
hired to take charge Of the child, who
was without q mother, during the
forced absence Of the father for period
Of three months. The chief recon-
mendation which the woman had was
that she had been the mother Of five
children. The child left to her carr
was abnormally sensitive and nervous
As far as food and bathing wero CON
cerned the woman showed rare skill and
knowledge, and to this day the way in
which she gave bath has been one OF
the delightful remembrances Of that
three months. Among the many faults
of her small charge the woman found
the one that gave her the most trouble
was insomnia. The little girl had never
been separated from her father, who,
being perfectly familiar with this phase
Of her physical defects, had perhaps
pampered it. The nurse had no such
notion; her theory was that children OF
that age should 60 to bed at seven o'clock
und she could not understand why Q
child who was sent TO bed could not
go to sleep.
The little girl made thousands Of ex-
cuses to call the nurse back into the
dark room to plead for light which had
been one of the many indulgences
granted her by her father. The nurse
was inexorable about the light, and re-
bellcd against having her conversation
interrupted; 50 she adopted the device
of frightening the child into quiet.
She told her one night when she put
her to bed that il She called ont loud
that night q spook would come who
would grab her away and she would
never see her father again. The little
girl did not believe it. and when the
gas was turned out and the door shut
she wanted . drink as usual She
hesitated q few minutes and then de-
cided to call. She called half . dozen
times and there was no response. She
then sat up in bed and called with all
her might, being afraid to get out in
tho dark on the floor. The door into
the next room, which was occupied by
the nurse, slowly opened, and there ap-
peared in the half-light-for the gas
had been partially turned down in the
back room-a most awful figure. entirely
In white. who, in . deep. mufded un-
dertone called out: "Thou hast disc
beyed and thou shalt suffer-" A Shrek
ing. terrified, almost paralyzed child
down to the foot of the bed,
and that she preserved her reason is to
this day q source Of surprise to her
when she remembers her fright OF
course she was i'll the next day, the
nurses only comment when she came
to give her her bath in the incoming be-
ing: "Well, If you will be naughty you
must expect to suffer; that is what al.
ways happens"
The next night terror of the awful
experience came upon her again, and
she refused to go to bed. She was left
sitting in the middle Of the floor in .
wrapper, for to have her catch cold
would only increase the nurses respon-
sibility. The light was turned out
again and the door was shut; presently
Il opened, and again the awful appari-
lion showed itself, the question being
raried by: "Wilt thou Obey?" with .
great, pointed. towering head bending
slowly toward the child, saying: If
thou wilt obey. do this" The child did
not speak, and her silence frightened
he nurse. The door closed and the
little girl was found unconscious ON the
1oor. After that she went to bed per-
'ectly dumb. and, NO matter what she
never asked for aid or as-
'istance or raised her voice, and
doubtless the nurse congratulated
,erself ON her wisdom in her
method of discipline. But she
lever knew that the result Of those
rights would go down to her grave
With that child. Although . woman,
md not timid by nature, it Is impossi-
lie for her to go to bed in . room with
he gas unlightcd, and any nervous ex-
lsustion brings to the fact that awful
.pparition of her almost baby days,
which bends - though to swoop down
nd carry her of.
The return of her father brought out
he story, and he forced the nurse to
onfess and show to the child how this
wful figure was made. The woman
vas tall and slender; she put . sheet
'ver her head and then raised her
lands rs high ~ possible above her
'ead, with her fingers closed together.
The bending motion was produced BY
citing the arms fall slowly forward.
sut all this was useless. While the
hiId, even as . child, perfectly under.
TODD that IL was the nurse who made
hat awful figure, darkness always
rings it back with greater or less dis
inctness, according to the strength or |
1ealxness Of her physical condition.
Would not investigation - to tho
ubjects of conversation between aI
Iurse and child-the stories told, the |
rhole relation between the child and |
ursc-often discover the cause Of i'll |
ealth to b the result of nervousness |
rising from the nurses treatment Of |
he child?LChristian Union.
In the year 1854 the Behring explor
rs discovered gigantic species Of
ytine, or northern sea cow" These
normous manatees were similar in
eneral habits to those Of the South
coast and were from twenty
D thirty feet in length and from tan 70