Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-02-17

ting TO be bad son. He Is idle, dis
obedient and restless" | know that
this confession was hard one to make
aud that IL was wrung from a heart
full OF love for her only child. She
went on to tell me what had induced
her TO come TO the farm, leaving her
husband TO pursue his vocation in the
city.
at was all for Carl, she said. 1--WE
are badly in debt, and work like "A
slave here, but | was determined that
that boy should have no opportunity to
SOW wild oats. thought | could sure
IL keep him out OF bad company If |
had him away from town; and he was
doing very well until those Jones boys
came TO the place. Now he will not
work faithfully at the easiest task. 1t
is all can do to get him TO go for the
cows, and he never gets them into the
yard until dark, because he meets those
little desperadoes and they play in the
creek as long as they dare. was
last time he came home, and of course
he threatened to whip him half to death
if he didn't mind me. but it does no
real good. | know he has been with
them since, and | don't know what to
do"
Threats and whippings are seldom
successful with boys of his age" re-
piled. Carl goes to school, does he
not? Is he fond OF study?'
mot particularly. When he was
baby, used to think how niceit would
be To teach him, and read with him
wien he should be old enough to learn
lessons, but he develops very little
taste for books. He is practical, like
his father, and it makes me sad TO
think that as our tastes are so differ
ent, | may not be able to influence him
as wish. He has his tools, and works
with them, but IL is always IA fish trap,
or bird cage or something else that
wastes time"
Try to think" / said 'if there is
nothing in him TO be made refining
influence in his boy life. I'll never be-
lieve that your child need grow up TO
be bad man"
She sat silent for a minute, and then
remarked, "He likes pets and flowers. "
'Oh, he does, does he?" | exclaim-
ed in glee; "then see how beautifully
we can manage him. Don't say anoth
er word to him about the Jones boys.
Just get him some seeds and house
plants, and start him in Horticulture. >
But we have positively no money
for luxuries, objected my anxious
| friend.
at will only take twenty five cents to
give him all the plants he can take
care Of | know seedman who will
sell mixed package OF seeds for the
window garden, for ten cents. He will
send "a mixed package of ANNALS for
the same sum. and five cents will get a
paper of sweet peas or morning glories.
| III give him the benefit of my expert
ence, and you must let him have time
to work with them. Remember that
Carl cannot, and ought not, at ten
years of age, TO be expected to realize
the import of the words mortgage and
debt. Believe me, he will weed the
onion led more faithfully, if he knows
that he can work at his flower bed
when that is done"
Well, friends and mothers, / know it
would have been real source OF pleas
ure to you to have seen as | did, the
growth of the good seed planted alike
in the black soil of my neighbor's door
yard and in the heart of little Carl.
How the boy did weed, and water, and
pot and repot His mother came to see
me yesterday, her usually anxious face
aglow.
carl is changed entirely. He is a
real comfort. You ought to see his
! flowers. He kept his house plants
through the winter, while rything
else in the house was frozen solid. He
has taken notion to botony, and he is
going to like books after all. I'll al
ways believe the seeds made good
boy of him
This incident has taught me two les
sons. 1t is always best to look over
the daily lives OF our children as criti-
cally and as impartially as il we did
not love them. Do not excuse your son
for faults, because he is your boy, or
shut your eyes TO the fact that your
daughter is frivolous and selfish. No
good can come of complaints uttered
fretfully and in "a spirit Of Impotence.
Infinite good may come from looking
evil in the face, aud trying to find out
the best way to combat IT, Do not de-
ny the children anything that will tend
to refine and educate them. The means
of doing them good are infinite and all
that is needful H. wisdom to discern the
beginning Of all beauty OF heart and
life .-Housekeeper.
Blown Across the Sea.