The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-10-30
w. G. r. u. COLUMN.
The MOther's Club.

The Mothers Club.
The Mothers club which meets in the
basement of the Presby terrain church on
alternate Wednesdays, held ar inter
esting meeting this week, but the attend
ance was not so large as it would seem
that it ought to be-. It was thought
that by severing all connection with
the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union, under whose auspices the Moth
er's Meetings were formerly held, and
joining the State Federation OF Moth
er's Clubs, the new organization would
perhaps gain much, at least in attend
ance, and thus be able to exert a wider
influence for good in the community.
The aim and object OF these clubs is
the same as that of the mothers meet
ings held in our city for several years
past, namely, to help mothers 90 to train
their children that they will grow up
good and useful citizens, with a pleas
ant recollection of a happy childhood.
The meetings are still conducted much
the same as Of old, the principal change
being that now they commence by sing
ing kindergarten hymns, and no devc-
tional exercises are held.
Last Wednesday Mrs. Ball read a
chapter from "Beckoning Hands," The
incident related, and the lesson it so
plainly taught was SO valuable that any
mother would have felt we'll repaid for
going to the meeting, V Q il that one
reading had been the only good thing,
which, however, was not the case.
As we listened, We IA the picture Of
a beautiful boy going with his father
into the cellar with joyful glndness,
proud that he was allowed "to help pa
pa build a fire in the big furnace" That
father, however, had given his little son
permission to help on condition that he
would not soil his clean dress, a promise
which the father ought to have known
the child would not keep.
AS the little one stood before the open
door of the furnace, ready to throw in
the sticks that he held, one in each
hand. excited by the bright flame in
contrast with the wierd darkness of the
cellar, he let one stick fall to the floor,
and as he stopped to pick it up, he in
stinctively clasped the other to his
breast. The father then impatiently
exclaimed, "There, now, you've solled
your Dress" The little fellow withou,
saying a word bnt with a look of grief
that smote the fathers heart, started uI
the stairs, and ran for comfort to his
mothers arms, the patter of his little
feet accompanied by piteous cries.
The story, told by the father himself
goes on to say that when next year he
again lighted the furnace fire no little
boy with eager exDectant face was by
his side as he went down the cellar
stairs-he had gone where he xoulC
never more be grieved because he coulG
not keep an unreasonable promise thai
his father had foolishly exacted from
him.
Tears were in the eyes of most of the
mothers as they listened to this reading
and no doubl they were thinking Of
times in the past when they too had
unjustIy blamed or thoughtlessly
grieved their own little ones.
;. While it is no doubt true that most
children in these days are not taught tt
obey as they ought, they are, however
: often scolded and punished, just because
!, they have lone something that annoy
the parent when the child had no inten
tlon of offending. .ts,