The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-12-13
OUR MODERN YOUNG HoPRFULs
BY GEORGE HOWARD WALTON.


N the parental relation, the habit OF
Il the presen day seems to lean too
much on the side Of indulgence. The
discipline which was so good for the
mother is resented by the daughter.
| And the son ia too often contemptuous
of the wisdom end, experience, not to
speak of the authority, of his father.
We all know families where the
young people are absolutely unfettered.
From the beginning the rule is liberty,
and the method moral suasion-the
idea, development according to each
individual nature-the belief, things
will come right when younger mem
bers of the family are older and
wiser.
In the homes the father is simply
the banker, born to write checks for
the benefit of the youngsters. The
mother is the slave, born to minister
to the pleasures Of the young hopefuls
if she herself is unseIfsh, or ~carelessly
letting them go their own way, pro
vided only they do not interfere with
her, if she is selfish and self indulgent.
What they wish to do, that they will
do; what they do not VISA TO do, that
no power On the face of the earth, as
they know it can make them do.
If they want anything they ask for
it in loud and insisting voices, and it
the mother says weakly: Flush, my
dears, not quite 80 loud" they look at
one another and snigger, or slyly punch
and push each other about, with bursts
Of smothered laughter as the result.
Grown older, they r either i~nsolently
silent or still more insolently aggres
sive and contradictions. Ifyou say go
and so, they will answer back: mo,
it is not so;" not because they know
better, but because they choose to as
sert themselves over some not of their
own age.
The whole fault lies in the parents.
The children, G)d bless theml are
plastic material, to be worked into such
shape as the parents will. But what
can be expec ed when the normal rule
is one of weakness, indulgence, the alb
sence of restraint, the entire lack Of
coercion, and a general performance
give to the young people over every
one else in the housei From the first
these children are taught to consider
themselves as Of supreme Importance.
The whole thing hangs together.
The relaxation of domestic discipline
the inability Of the young people Of
the period to do what they do not like
to do, or to give up what they want;
their notorious rude and clumsy man
ners; their as notorious want of self
restraint or reverence; the exSraordi
nary ''aplomb" of our girls-their man
nish habits, their bold bearing.
When every now and then we come
upon some sweet, modest girl whose
beauty is enhanced by her bashful
ness, and whose sweetness of compli.
ance speaks elcquently Of her domes-
tic training-when we find her capa
BILE, industrious, thou 5htful for others,
courteous, we'll bred, how our whole
heart goes out to her-how we love her
and respect her.
So, too, OF the boy who com
bines with a boys freer instincts the
sweeter modesties OF his age and that
noble kind of Difference which prom
ises both the power of governing others
as we'll as that of self government.
And again, when we have a group Of
little children, trimming over with
health and animal spirits, but in due
subordination to the dear mother who
loves them too we'll to spoil them, and
who thinks that, till they can walk
(morally) alone, they are best guided
into good ways, we thank Heaven for
the remnant still left among us-the
remnant of wise parents who bring
I'D their children for charm in the
present and nobility in the future, and
who are the good sea walls standing
between the surging tide Of folly and
the fertile lands OF wisdom and delight.
Ledger Monthly.
~ ~
A WEIGHTED WAITRESS