The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-01-24
A KISS FOR A BLOW:
Showing the way to Prevent GUAR
reIs Among Children.

Showing the way to Prevent Quar-.
reIs Among Children.
When lived i'm Boston, was one of
the school committee. l used 10 visit
some of the public schools in the city
almost every day, and spend a few
minutes i'm each school. talking TO the
children on peace end temperance.
The children understood that when
came to the schools, they were at
liberty to ak me my opinions OH these
subjects. They generally had some
questions to ask.
One day visited one of the infant
schools. There were about fifty chill
drin in it, between four and eight
years of age.
"Children," said I, "has any of you
a question to ask to-day ?"
please to tell u.s." said q little boy,
"what is meant by overcoming evil
with good ?"
II am glad" said I. "you have ask
ed that question for love to talk to
you about peace, and to show you how
to settle all difficulties without fight
ing"
[ then tried to show them what the
precept meant, and how to apply it
and carry it out. While I tried to
to think of something to make it
plain to the children, the following in
cident occurred:
A boy about seven years Of age, and
his sister about five years of age, sat
near me. As was talking, George
doubled up his fist and struck his
sister oil her head, as unkind and cruel
brothers often do. She was angry in a
moment, and raised her hand at once
to strike him in return. The teacher
saw her, and said, "Stop, Mary you
had better kiss you brother" Mary
dropped her hand, and looked up at
the teacher, as if she did not fully un-
derstand her. She had never been
taught when at home to return good
for evil. She thought that if her
brother struck she, of course had q
right to strike in return. She had al
ways been taught to act on this cruel
maxim. Her teacher looked kindly at
her and at George, and said again,
my dear Mary, you had better kiss
your brother. See how angry and un-
happy he looks ~ Mary looked at
her brother. He looked sullen and
wretched. Her resentment was soon
gone, and love for her brother returned
to her heart. She threw both her arms
about his neck, and kissed him. The
poor boy was wholly unprepared for
his blow. He could not endure the
generous affection of his sister. His
feelings were touched, and he burst
out crying. His gentle sister took the
corner of her apron, and wiped away
his tears. and sought to comfort him
by saying, with endearipg sweetness
and generous affection. "Dot't cry,
George you did not hurt me much"
But he only wept the more. No won
der. 1t was enough to make any body
weep.
But why did George weep? Poor
little fellow Little did he dream
that his sister would give him such a
sweet return for his blow. Would he
have wept if his sister had struck
him as he had struck her? Not he.
BY kissing him as she did, she made
him feel more acutely than if she had
beaten him black and blue. BY strik-
ing him again she would not have
made him feel sorry at all. It was
that sweet, sisterly kiss-that gentle
act or wiping away his tears with her
apron-that generous and aHger-kill-
ing affection, that led her to excuse
him, and to seek to comfort him by
saying, Don't cry, George you did
not hurt me much :" these things
made him weep. It would make any
body weep, to receive such kind and
ofnoo MI
he had injured. No man could with
stand it.
A kiss for a blow! All the school
saw at once what was meant by over
coming evil with good, and they need
ed no further instruction on the SUBJ
ject. If Mary had struck her brother
IN return, there would have been al
fight. 1t was prevented by her kiss.
When others strike you, or do any
thing to you which you think an in
jury, do as sweet little Mary did.
Give kiss for blow, and there will
be no trouble. They will take care
how they wrong you in any way, when
they are once sure that the injuries
they do you will not be returned.
Though George was the Older and the
lGlSCl, duI COulu SLilhC luC hdaNCi,
yet Mary conquered hin. Georges
strong body, his muscular arm and
hard blows, were not match for the
strong love and sweet kiss of Mary.
If George had had the body of giant,
or the strength of million of men in
his arm, Mary's sweet love and kiss,
and those gentle but heart-piercing
words, "Don't cry, George; you did
not hurt me much," would have con-
quered them all. What could poor
George; do? If he had had all the
arms and soldiers in the werld to help
him in his attack upon Mary. conduct
such as hers would have conquered
them all.
Dear children, arm your sullen
looks, your provoking nicknames,
your clenched fists, and furious blows,
and take the sweet love and soft words
of little Mary then 60 foorth to meet
your enemies, and you may be sure of
an easy and peaceful victory.