The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-12-10

! urcW crooked line. Ii he nad had the
power of speech he could not have an
swercd better, or given 4 better delin-
ition. | suppose this is an illustration
of the old saving that necessity is the
mother Of invention.
Then there is the smart youn"stcr,
different from the one first spoken Of,
whose savings have smack of villainv
in them. ''Tom, said 4 stern father,
IL dislike your low ways" "Ncvcr
mind. pap" said the hopeful youngSter,
''when | .rpw up I'll be high way
man." | always imagine. however
that the really clever boys soon dis
cover that the ~ro"g ways are always
the aoorst. ''Are you not sorry, John
ME- said an anxious mother. ''for hay
ing stolen that orange" "Yes." "And
will you not do better next time?:"
YES; I'll steal two" These are the
true enfunts terrible.
Sometimes it is the iiyurativc form
of child's utterancc that gives it it's
charm or beauty. "What kiss man
so homely as papa?" said a mother, in
fun, to her little girl. "Oh, but papa
is real pretty in his heart, was the re-
ply. What papa would not have been
delighted by such compliment? \
little boy whose father was pointing
out Italy on the map to Linn, and re-
marking, as usual, its resemblance in
form to boot, said: "Wcll, if live to
he man, | shall put my foot in that
boot some day" 1t must have been
this sensible boy who, on being asked
what he was going to be when he grew
up, replied: Going to be Il man, sir
How numerous arc the stories told
of children of religious parents who try
to make their little ones act and think
like themselves! The mistake of these
people lie in failing to perceive that a
child cannot think or feel like grown |
person.; in other words, they cannot
put themselves in the child's place. |
1t is impossible, for instance, that a |
child should see or feel the historic |
connection or the sacredness of one day |
above another; that comes from knowl- |
edge and long association; So that Il
child can see no harm in play on any
day in the week, least of all on Sunday,
when papa has a holiday, and there is
neither brcad-work or school-work to |
be done.
There is no sin injoyful feelings; for
the Lord loves to see his children in
nocently happy: and | am sure He
looks upon the play of the little ones,
like the play of lambs. as absolutely
sinless. ! once heard ola PRESBYTERIAN
ministcr,-incredible as it may appear,
| believe he was such-who, being on
shipboard, and hearing an officer re-
proving sailor for whistling merry
tune on Sunday exclaimed: Nonsense,
man; let him whistle: it keeps evil
thoughts out of his mind, and makes
him happy" Was it not Luther who
said that music drives the devil away?
\ little child, having been told she
must not play on Sunday, and all the
toys being put away, sat down al
watched the kitten playing with its
tail. Then she reproved pussy for
playing on Sunday, when the mother
said: 1T is not wrong for pussy to play
with its tail, my dear; God gives it its
tail to play with" Then the child,
clasping her chubby little hands as in
prayer, cried: 80 bod. dive me a tail
to play with on Sundays
1t must have been Il brother OF this
dear little girl Of which the following
story is told. "Mamma,' said he.
''when you 20 to town. buy me 4
whistle; and let it hca religious whistle.
50 that can play with it on Sunlay."
"Weli my child said strict parent
to his little daughter. on returning
from church. what dn you remember
Of all the preacher slid!' "Nothing."
was the timid reply. "Nothing?' said
h., gravely: Now, remember, the next
time you go to church You must tell
NE something he says, or You'll have
to stay indoors and study your cate
chism." Next Sunday the little GIRL
came home all excitement. Il rcmem-
Der something, papa, said she. "Wrll,
what did the preacher say lie
said, she cried delightfully."-, "'Now Il
collection will be taken up.''
'Well, what would YOU have" How
can child, whose thoughts are all
about outward and simple things, be
expected to understand and follow the
grave propositions and close reasoning
of a learned divine: He would be u
very uncommon child WHO could. A
little girl who was asked, on her re-
turn from church, what the text was,
replied: blessed are the drcssmakcrs."
That came much nearer 10y comprc-
hension than blessed are the peace
makers" Mind, do not speak against
taking children to church; not mt all;
but | think it is Iolly-nay, wrong g-to
expect them to understand all they
hear there
H.
Children are, in their way, very good
logicians; they generally draw logical