The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-06-20
Christian Life Column.
TEACHING BY EXAMPLE.

was telling me her troubles. IL was
only after some close questioning, that
she copfe sd that the scar on her chin
was the result Of a kick from her bTu
tai husband, who had thrown her
upon the floor, and had proceeded to
chssise her with his shoe covered foot,
because che had ventured to remon
strate with him for spending his
money for drink. AS he threw her
down, her plea for mercy, on the
ground that che was oon TO a mother,
was unheeded, and the crusl deed was
done before the neighbors could re
spond to the screams OF the stricken
woman.
AS she narrated her tale of woe, her
little stepson stepped Up to me and
said:
my papa does that. I do it too. I
always do what my papa does
What does he meant" l { rquired
IN surprise.
'Ohl he means that you have your
legs crossed. The osher night he saw
his papa sitting that way. and he sat
down and initiated him"
This turned the conve sltion, and
the woman began with evident pride
to tell how bright her two sEep-chil
dren were, and how they tried to do
everything that they saw their papa
doing.
As 1 descended from the top floor, 1
nearly fell over a woman who was
standing in the dark, at the foot OF
the stairs, so busy was my mind re
volving the question:
Does that father know what an In
fuence he is exersing over his boy by
his example3"
At my next visit the father was at
home. 1 began to talk to him about
his boys, and he told me how anxious
he was that they should be good, that
he always told them to do right, and
that he wished to send them to Sun
day. school that they might learn how
70 do right. l %enquired:
do you r5aI.z9 that there is little
use in telling them to be good or Ia
sending them to Sunday school unless
you set them a good example3' He
seemed to understand what l meant,
80 I continued
"OIe Of these days, you will fad
that your boys have not done what
you told them to do, but that they
have followed your example. What
will you do then7'
IF l find them ding wrong, I'll lick
the life out OF them" was his prompt
reply, and he seemed to think that in
giving the thrashing, he would be per
forming his whole duty.
True; this father is a rough, unCul
tured man, who has seen much OF the
hard eide Of city life, but is he and his
class alone in the position that children
must do as they are told2 Oh! the
blindness of parents, who do MT esri
mate the influence Of example and
how much the future Of their children
depends on the actions OF the older
e at home. What think you Of a
mother who Furnishes her boy for lying,
when she herself is untruthfui9 What
can q saloon treqlenfer father say,
when his son is brought home druDki
What must be the thoughts Of the
parents as they visit their boy in the
p~enitentiary, and remember that the
theft Of which their son was convicted
is the natural outcome OF h exam
pies Of petty dishonesty which they
set him in his childhood home2
my papa always hits my mamma"
said the boy referred to above, when
I visited the mother q few days ago.
Having heard that the father was
doing better, there was naturally a
look Of astonish menE on my face when
! heard this
"Onl he always remembers the
past" said the mother 10 explanation.
All yes; the impressions made on
young minds stick. Should that boy
grow up 20 become a brutal wife beater
at whose door will the blame lies
Many, many times he will be exhorted
20 be gentle and kind, but he Is being
taught how to be the reverse.
1 wish that 1 had not seen the pho
tograph, but il was shown to me, and
now l cannot eflce the picture from
my memory. A striking, magnii
Gently formed figure, covered with
garments of most costly materials, but
such a bold, b-ezeu facet The owner
is living a life OF shame, and up to this
time is the possess5r of much Of this
worlds goods. / knew her as a beau
tifnl Rmrahln girl Of khirsnan