The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-14
LESSON FOR YOUNG MOTHER.
Advice from an old Woman on the
Proper Way to Manage Children.

Advice from an old Woman on the
Proper Way to Manage Children.
What made you so later" two women
exclaimed in unison as a third Joined
them I'm the parlor OF a club intended TO
accommodated out-Ot-town shoppers and
suburbanites.
"Oh. I've just passed through one Of
the most trying experiences OF moth
ers life. and it has quite upset me- was
the reply.
tut, tut, my dear" said the elderly
woman OF the party. your only child
is only four years old, and here YOU are
talking about trying experiences with
him. Wait until be IS old enough TO
stay out en- the evenings or until he starts
off to college. and then you'n know what
a mothers anxiety means
Whats the trouble?" asked the other
woman. n straight-backed spinster who
declares that she hates those old maids
who call themselves women bachelors.
Tell us all about H. Perhaps We can
help YOU or perhaps you are unstrung
and your troubles will vanish as you re-
late them"
We'll It's all about my boy Harry.
I must admit that taough he Is only
four-year-Old I don't know how 10 man
age him. Everybody tells me 90 try
different method. 7 try them all and my
husband laughs and says that If l keep
on Harry will land on the gallOws or be
lvnched. The idea OF talking about the
little angel like that This morning !
had some very important writing to do
before coming here TO lunch with you
and I told Harry 80. gave him lot OF
things with which 10 amuse himself and
asked him 70 keep quiet. lie did-for
about three seconds, and then he began
20 ask questions.
tt was Ike a rapd-dre gun on one OF
our warships pouring hot shot into the
Spaniards. lie kept up a steady fire for
fully half an hosr. but / kept saying
10 myself Keep cool. This is good dis
clpllne for YOU Finally he went 20 the
window and stood there a minute silently
gazing into the street 7 was just con-
graduating myself that my patience was
being speedily rewarded when he drew
a long breath and began firing another
vouey az me. They were such silly
questions. What makes vines grow mp
and not down, mamma Mamma, why
why can / see people through the lace
curtains and they cart see meY and so
on. And then, o. course the darling had
20 get on theology. Children always DO
YOU know. He began asking me II God
had just one big eyo or lots OF eyes all
over HIS head. liksths spider his papa
showed him and n good mosquitoes that
didn't bite little toys went 10 heaven
when they died At last / couldn't stand
il another minute. A sheet OF blank pa,
per stared me In enc face and time was
slipping by. I said 20 him very firmly,
Harry, mamma has some work that she
must finished and AZ you ask her another
question she'll hava 10 undress you ana
put you to bed, aad N isn't near noon
yet' lie raised his big pathetic eyes 10
4
Che can't pronounce ~, mamma ] had
ust written one limo when he b0bbed up
and asked me three questions in ore.
Come" I exclaimed, somewhat i'm
patiently ! fear 70 bed you 90 this min
uter And / took him back and put on
his little paiamas lie didn't cry until
1 turned back The Gel clothes and tuck
cd him in Even then he was TOO brave
10 make a noine, QUO his little body shook
with repressed sObs. There was a lump
I'm my own throst az big as goose egg
but / felt that ] must do my duty by
that boy; that ] must discipline him.
went back 10 my desk, but / couldn I
write After fifteen minutes, when
seemed as iorg as many hours, began 10
reason with myself, 70 tell myself that
I'd been unjust TO ny boy, that MS H.
tic mind was eager for knowledge ana
that he could only set knowledge by word
of mouth. Yes, I've done wrong In put
ting him 20 bed ! confessed 10 myself.
IN tell him so and let him get up.
went in ana there he was curled up IN
a little fat ball w,th two great undried
tears on his cheeks Harry. dearest
said l. mamma feels that she has done
wrong IN putting ysu 70 bed She knows
that you ask her questions because@you
want 10 know things, and 1t Is right 10
want to know things; ii 10 right to be
hungry for knowledge. and now mamma
IS going to let you get up. His race
frightened up and he exclaimed:
"'Wen, mamma. can 1 ask another
question:
Yes said I, and be fairly shouted:
"'H0w far can a cat spitg
talk about castles In the afr tum-
bling downl After that poser l changed
my mind about my small boys ambition
for erudition Tho result OF all this Is
that / am here. after having kept you
waiting; / haven't filed even that first
page. ard I feel sure / didn't deal with
the child as he deserved Really l go
through some similar experience every
day, and the result Is that this four-year-
old IS about 20 come out first best IN
lHe THie' 4hatoou VI my NohtONi"s nun
ne almost controls nae. and I'm worried
half sick about II all"
Half the mothers IN the land are not
NJ to be mothers" hastily put in the old
maid. II wish l could get a chance 10
discipline the mothers for about three
generations. and maybe we'd see a set
OF children who knew what 1t meant 10
honor their parents
"Tornmyrot burst the old woman. az
don't believe I'm corporal punishment or
children myself, bot | feel sure that a
little peach tree switch is effective in
bringing a child 10 terms in such cases.
Nevertheless to make a happy home and
10 bring up children VINO honor them
selves In honoring their parents, that