The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-05-05
The INELu ENCE OF CHILDREN.
thought much OF one who appeared to
til ink 80 littla of himsalf
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tn ink 80 little of himself.
remember telling my schoolfellows
that had an uncle who was about to
publish History OF England in two
volumes, each containing six hundred
and fifty pages; but it never crossed my
mind that the work in question would
have anything to distinguish 1t except
Its length. AS years went on, it seemed
strange and unnatural to hear him more
and more frequently talked of as a great
| man; and we slowly and almost reluct--
antly awoke to the conviction that
Uncle Tom was cleverer as we'll as
more good-natured, than his neigh
bors."
There is something inexpressibly
touching In the provisions Of the will OF
an eccentric millionaire named Mo-
Donough, who resided at New Orleans,
which contained the following clause:
And Il was near forgetting that 1
have still one request to make, one lit
tie favor still to ask, and that shall be
the last. 1t Is that 1t may be permitted
annually to the children OF the free
schools, situate nearest my place of in
torment. to plant and water q few flow
ers around my grave.
This little act will have q double
tendency, it will open their young and
| susceptible hearts to gratitude and love
to their Divine Creator, for having
raised up, as humble instrument OF
His bounty to them, poor, frail
worm OF earth like me, and teach them
at the same time what they are, whence
they came, and whether they must re-.
turn
Stern man of business, though he
was, yet his heart yearned to be re-
memb ered by merry-hearted children.
Miss Muloch draws picture of child
hood In these graceful words: IA child
asleep; painters draw it; poets sing
about It, Yet the root of it's mystery
remains mystery still. About it seem
to float the secrets OF earth and heaven,
life and death; whence we came aud
whittier we go; what God does with and
in us, and what he expects US to do for
ourselves. 1t is as if, while we gaze,
we could catch drifting past US few
threads of that wonderful web which in
Its entirety He holds solely in his
own hand" When the cares and bur
dens OF life are upon US, and our
spirits sink and faint under the load,
how refreshing 1t is to turn to the
sports and prattle of children.
II has been well said: "Children
may teach us one blessed-one enviable
art-the art of:being happy. Kind nature
has given to them that useful power of
accom- mediation to circumstances which
compensates for many external dead
| management that it is lost.
Give him but q moderate port ton of
food and kindness, and the peasants
| child is happier than the dukes; free
from artificial wants unsatiated by in
dulgence, all nature ministers to his
pleasure; he can carve out felicity from
a bit OF hazel twig or fish for it success
fully in puddle. We little realize how
much inspiration we gather from child
life, how we unconsciously take lessons
from them in the difficult qualities of
trust and simplicity.
When we feel that we are growing of
the earth, earthly; that our perceptions
OF the beauty and truth Of Gods universe
are becoming dull-we rush into the So
| ciety Of children-into the company of
hearty, happy, silly children, who love
flowers and birds, pet rabbits. clowns
and pantomines, strange, wonderful le-
| gends and mystic olf1n traditions-not
the abominably clever little men and
women produced by the forcing sys.
tenn who have no relish for the sim pie
joys OF childhood. We join them in their
revels; we listen to their prattle; we
make their pursuits ours, their pleas
ures ours, and, as far as we can, their
| company Of angels unawares.
Our heart grows purer, our mind
grows healthier; something of new
| life and now spirit, however, eyanes-
cent, lifts us above ourselves.
Who Is 1T speaks of children as
birds without wings from Paradise?"
His must have been wise and kindly
| nature-the comparison is SO apt, 80
true; for do they not, with their pleas
ant voices, make a sweet and happy
music, which seems like an air from
| heaVen-like the tender strain of some
| angelic choir?'
Said Theodore Parker "a baby is
better for the heart than a whole Acad.
envy Of philosophers"
How 1t softens the nature, and fresh
ems the heart. Some sympathetic soul
offers this fond tribute to babyhood,
which will find response in every fond
parents breast.
"The baby rules everybody in the
house-issues her mandates in the feeb-
lest OF voices, yet all hasten to interpret
her wishes. 1t matters not that they be
expressed in the most unintelligible of
| dialects, everyone intuitively makes out
Wondrously wise meaning and watches
with the intensest interest for the next
utterance.
Even papa is yanquished by baby's
| feeble cry, and whom she stretches out
her arms to go to him he is prouder,
| happier far, than when news of gain, by
! sea or land, quickens ambition, but
STILES the gentler voices of his soul
the music tones Of humanity.
us baby asleep? Then is the house.
| hold hushed. and the mother, as she
| sits by its side, sewing, and
occasionally rocking the cradle with
her foot. Ia most trnlv tho tf.na raIa,