Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-05-08
THE NEW WAY.

Clara was having very enjoyable
time. She had tied her mothers best
bonnet on Fido's head and he was
making the most comical efforts to
remove it. While Clara was laughing
immoderately at his annoyance her
mother came in and the aspect of the
scene changed. Mrs. Ford did not
seem to be amused. On the contrary
she looked vexed as she took the bon
net from the dogs head and said re-
proachfully, sob, Clara! How could
you be so naughty?"
"But, mamma, he looked so funny
I couldn't help it.
s'I am sure you would not have
laughed if it had been your bonnet.
You wouldn't want your little girl to
be so unkind to you, would your"
Quickly flashed the question from
Clara's lips, "What kind of a little girl
were you, mammal"
The thrust went home, and Mrs.
Ford drew long breath as she said
with cadid sadness, every much such
little girl as you are, fear"
"Well, did your being naughty
make me naughty?"
ssIt certainly made it easier for you
to be naughty"
"Then Pm not to blame, am 1? You
ought not to scold and punish me,
think, if you are the one who made
me naughty"
The child's logic was apparently ir-
REPUTABLE. How could the mother
make the little girl understand the ir-
responsibility of receiving an inheri-
lance and the responsibility of trans
uniting it? After a moments hesita-
ton she drew the little girl to her
knee and said gently: "When I was
child no one told me that what / did
would in any way affect my children,
and so I never thought thatI ought to
be good for their sakes. But if had
known, might have made it much
easier for you to be good by doing al
ways just what would have known I
would like you to do"
Eyes, mamma, but you did not
know that I would ever be, and I
don't know that I'll ever have any lit
tie girl.''
s'That is true. Still, if 1 had thought
of possible daughter, and had be-
haved as I would want her to behave,
and she had never existed, I should
have been better girl and a better
woman, and now that she does exist
she would be happier because 1 had
been good for her sake"
"I see, mamma, and you think it
would be good thing for me to al
ways think how I'd want my little girl
to do, don't you? I guess I wouldn't
do lots of things that vex you if I
thought that way. 1 believe rn try
it.'
No more was said, and Mrs. Ford
imagined Clara had forgotten the
conversation. But not so; she was
bordering the thought in her little
brain, and it was to bear much fruit in
her own life. And not only that, she
sowed the seed in other fertile soil. A
little friend came to play with her,
and in the course of the afternoon did
that which offended Clara's sense of
justice and she rebuked him saying,
"You would not want your little boy
to do that way, and my mamma says
we make it easy for our children to be
naughty if we are naughty"
ooh, don't believe that,'' said
Harold.
"But it's true, for my mamma al
ways tells the truth, and she's sorry
she didn't know it when she was little
so she could have helped me to be
good. And Pm going to try it and al
ways do just as I'd want my little girl
to do.''
"Well, I'l try it too, and do as I'd
want my little boy to do. / guess I
can tell about that" And SO the play
was resumed on this new basis of con-
duct.
A few days later as Harold's mother
put him to bed he requested that the
door of his room mighJ be left open
so that he could hear when his father