The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-02

"because It contains a pistol which Is
loaded, and you might readily be kill
ed" Curiosity Is stllled, reason wakes
up and il satisfied. and only In rare IN.
stances will child rebel To give rea-
sons after a child has shown q desire
to dlsobey Is a quite different and rarely
a wise plan.
Nothing seems more readily to break
down stubborn obstlnacy Of nature
than removing causes OF debate and
leaving no room for any sense Of in1us-
tice. Nor must the child s1rHise that
this protection Is made for him against
himself. There are so many instances
OF sunstroke in this mornings paper
that think we should be very careful.
Harold, remember that you must not
60 beyond the big maple" carries to the
boys mind q serious reason for an Tx
some restraint, which he has no ineli-
nation to fight against, when thus con-
veyed. II his usual free race far down
the road had been suddenly, and to his
small mind, unreasonably cut short, ne
would not only question but resist.
What used TO be called ''unquestioning
obedience" doubtless had q value, but
1t entails q lowering Of the ideal Of the
submission of the child to the parent
and reduces the government OF home
to the level OF military rule, But TO
change the nature OF our commands so
Us to make them contain a germ Of rea-
condolences in them, Mt once invites
readiness to obey and depriVeB n COM
hatiye' mind of food for resistance.
Here we are, however, dwelling more
on obedience than obstinncy, though in
the chlldrens kingdom they are like the
wool and warp Of their lives, and hard
to regard separately.
No concession whatever ought to be
made to the uHloHing md irFeyerent
spirit Of contradiction and dissent
which sometimes seems absolutely to
take entire possession Of half-gTown
girls and boys. They have learned by
what to them seems long experience
the whole Of their brief lives-that pa
rental care and sollcitude. and in the
great majority OF cases truly Unselfish
love, have only their own good at heart,
and II Is doing them n fatal injury 70
let them demand a reason for what
they are told TO do or to leave undone.
"I can't see what you say that for; nll
the girls do II, and ! don't see why
can't" ought to be met by stendt0st,
however gentle, repronf, and no RdmIs-
sion whatever OF anything more salts
factory than the fact that the parents
wish IS law. Nor should this defiant
spirit be lightly passed over. To many
children. certainly to most girls, gentle.
pelFeverlng silence and cessation OF
all intercourse or carcsses. generally
prove severe and very thoughts
psiling discipline. -.
hidden is q challenge to tho parent. TO
take the matter up aE test Of strength
between EQUALS Is to break down. for the
child, the tower OF hts strength which Is
his birthrIght; It leaves him without q
supreme couTl. nay. even without q
court OF appeals, against his own false
Judgment, II he remClns obstinate ana
repeats the offenss openlyit Is warning
,slEncl that father and mother are on
dangerous ground, approaching failure
as his guardian; II he carries out his
own will by dupliclty or managing to
blind their perception Of his persever-
ance, Il Is OF the most strenuous I'M
portnnce to hla character that his make
shifts are noted and unveiled and the
force Of this lack OF truth made plain to
him.
A nitlful story Of combat is told OF a
very great man. whose intellectual pow
or rad been used In behalf OF more than
one generation OF students under his up
lifting care. His own little son, only,
II remember correctly, nve years old,
refused to take sone nouriEhment or.
.iered by the physician, which proved es-
peclRlly dIstaStsful, II was being ad-
ministeTed by holding the chiid's nose
until the effort 10 breathe compelled him
to open his mouth, and then quick
movement OF the spoon forced the sub
stance between his lips, and he had TO
swallow.
HiE father said: This is terrible! Give
me the food, and I will make him take
II properly" He carried tho boy Into
his study and sci about inducing that
infant will to yield His large and
gentle nature doubtless had no Intention
of using force; he and his boy were dear
friends, and he felt sure OF his triumph
when feminine nervousness md tno-ur-
gent appeals were shut out What the
processes were by which he tried TO bend
The bnby's obstInacy, no one will ever
know.
The door closed on this unequal pnlr
about o'clock In the afternoon, The
father was n large, fully developed
man, with n majestic head: the child
WIS q slngularly IntellcctuRl-lookinE
little fellow, but slight and physically
weak. Tho night pnssed--sometlmea
the child cried the cry Of veNatlon or
ACCOMPLISHMENTS long SicnceS
prsvniled--then the boy SLEPT. Tn"
father passed slips Of paper under the
door: he neither ntr nor slept himself.
So the night passed and so the morn
ing. The mother was in agony, the
doctor was ninrmed. but the door did
not open: the father told the child that
he himself would not eat, though he
was hungry. nor would either OF them
leave the room until the cup was taken
In the little thin hand and some Of tho
food swallowed, The day whned and
the boy grew wenk and his face looked
punched. the fnthcr suddenly found his
trial too much for him and burst into
tears. The child's heart was awed by
this astonishing sight, md he took the
cup up with eager but almost falling
hands and drank all Il contained. Il
am good" he Bobbcd. " am good"
Not even 10 his wife could the father
talk OF that hard fight. and many days
passcd before his great philosophln
mind could do Ia work Alright. Tho
boy was like his shadow: while his
childhood lasted the devotion he showed
Ms father was like n religious ndora-
tlon And In hiR manhood he always
claimed that no father had ever suf-