Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-18
other, and the transition from one to the

other, and the transition from one to the
other quick and easy.
A boy, too, has so many opportunities
to be somebody, good and great.
The mother. from his birth, begins TO
look upon him closely and ponder his
little ways and sayings in her heart.
Surely one day, If he lives, he will be
able to teach the world and make 1t
better.
Another thing, it is one step away from
her. She thinks Of this with a sense al
most of Jealous pain. Before every want
and every pain brought the word mo
Their" to her boys lips. Now he would
go TO another. Another would in a mea-
sure take her place; or else he would
learn 10 do as men do who have no
mothers 10 tell-clnch his teeth, compress
his lips, and say nothing about his hurt.
She had before been his most cherished
companion, she and his sister, through
the long days. Here too, would others
take her place. There We're the many
boys. He would soon be one among
them, and when he knew them, boy like.
he would want to spend the afternoons
with them little thinking how she wanted
him as of old. Ii was the step away
then the turn around the corner in life
which brought the tears into her fonC
eyes as she looked upon them that morn
ing.
WHAT IT MEANS TO CHILD.
The artist puzzled a great deal to CUES
what the child meant by that responsiY.
look. 1t may have been the earnest gaz
Of his mother that drew him. He aske
himself If it could be Just possible tina
for one moment the veil Of the futur
was lifted from the child's eyes, ar
he understood even as his mother. "Chi
dren." he thought sometimes under
stand much more than grown people
think they do" Did this boy OF Z under
stand. too. that he was taking step
away from home and mother?
School is really new life to a child.
He is impressed most, perhaps, by the
great number of children there, and he
wonders where they come from. Il won
der if they all have good and kind mothers
like NINE" he thinks. lie is sorry
for them, for surely, there is no
mother so good as his. He walks timidy
beside a big boy and wonders If he will
ever be as tall
The teacher shakes hands with him
and smiles A very great deal depends
on that first smile. If IL is very winning
and gentle one little boy will often know
his lessons, and will be sorry when he
does not "A boy all MS lie Is apt TO
judge womankind by his mother and his
teacher. If mother is gentle, pure in
thought and word when nc is very young
for child understands when very young
respect for the purity Of woman will grow
as he grows till 1t is part of his being
If not, almost the sweetest part OF his
life may be taken away. He will be timid
for little while. but when he knows
the boys better, and when he has match
ed his mind with theirs, and is rewarded
with his teachers SMILE he is more at
home. There is nothing that gives the
little scholar more confidence than TO
know his lesson well. The faithful little
pupil in the kindergarten is much the
same as the faithful man in the kinder
garten of life-fearless as a lion. And
so it is. The school. the first day at
school, is often the key which opens the
portal 70 a good life, closing at the same
time the entrance TO the bad, or 1t may
be- very different.