The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-02-02
Good Night Words.

IL there is time when children
ought to hear loving words from their
parents, 1t is when they are going to
bel at night. Every word spoken in
} that hour should be words of gentle
ness and affection. When a child
turns from play and playmates, he
has sense of loneliness and depend.
ence which he does not feel at anotb-
er time. Then he Graves sympathy:
he appreciates kindness, and is griev-
ed by harshness or cold neglect
W hen the little ones are going to
bed, parents are often tired. and their
stock OF patience is at the lowest. If
The children are not as quiet and
orderly and prompt as they should
be, the parents rebuke them more
sharply than they would for similar
offences earlier in the day. Then the
children go to bed with their tender
hearts saddened and their little faces
swimming in tears, and often 60 to /
sleep on pillow wet with their tears
OF sorrow. How can parents sadden
and depress their children at that
hour? For every night of sleep is
suggestion of the night of
the last sleep. Some parents actual
ly postpone the punishment of their
for the misdeedS of the day
until the hour of bedtime.
a great many mothers besides the
'old woman who lived in a shoe" in
for large family of child
rem have often "whipped them all t
'oundly, and sent them to bed" .
Again, there are mothers who, with
'ut thought of unkindness. are un- ,
Wise enough to refuse a goodnight Il
Kiss to their children as a penalty for z
ome misconduct. To withhold from a.
he little ones this assurance Of affec- p
ION, at time when the tender heart d
rlzes 1t above all else, causes bitter
eSs OF grief to the children. How
an loving mothers refuse a good
lght kiss to their dear children and C.,
end them to bed with their little
carts saddened? s..
The latest waking impression of tn
very day on them should be impress NJ
obs of peace and joy ana holy hope. u
he goodnight words of parents to 81
leIr children should be always those WI
ordS by which the parents would We
glad to be remembered when their tn
noes are forever hushed, AMI which "
ey themselves can recall gladly if TO,
elr chlldren's ears are never again he
zen to goodnight words from them: lie
1t may be with some Of them as
was with Little Boy Blue" in this sol so,
autlful poem which was written by tr r."
late Eugene Field. How touch mu
: and beautiful it isl DR.
e little toy dog is covered with dust.
I sturdy and staunch he stands: n,a
d the little toy soldier is red with rust "o
d his musket molds in his hands. nv
ne was when the little toy dog was new
d the soldier was passing fair, nul
d that was the time when our Little IN
Boy Blue
sed them and put them there and
ow, don't you go till come" he said YnL
nd don't you make any noise. :,
toddling of to his trundle-bed.
dreamt of the pretty toys, pee
as he was dreaming, an angel song som
akened our Little Boy Blue, lrS
the years are many, the years are long. Gar
the little toy friends are true. T
;, faithful to Little Boy Blue they stand, n 0Ia
n in the same old place, nm,
utlng the touch OF little hand, m'a's
smile of little face, i'al
they wonder, as waiting the long =,
years through, Ja
he dust of that little chair. W III
1t has become of our Little Boy Blue P'"'
'e he kissed them and PUT them there. ,no'
-EnchaDge. ''''