Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-08-07
Dear II. B. Friends:

beuF w. ID. TTtthtuos
1t is many weeks since 1 have found oppor-
tunity to. join your circle, owing to illness Of
friends and many duties which could not be
neglected. l have read the column with inter
est, however and found it SO well filed that
felt quite sure of not being missed.
Aunt Madge was kind enough to refer to me
for an opinion in an article of hers recently on
the manners of the children of the present day.
l may not be able to tell why children of to-day,
who have such superior advantages of books
schools and other privileges over those of
earlier times should be, as a rule, so much more
il-mannered, but can testify that of the many
children with whom l come in contact, those
who are polite and thoughtful of the rights of
others are rare exceptions. The majority of
them would interrupt the conversation of the
highest official of the land, and if demonstrated
with, would scornfuily mutter: "Oh you get
QUIT"
Indeed, conversation, except of the most frag.
mentary kind, is impossible where they are pres
ent, and their actions at table make meals an
ordeal to be dreaded. Books and furniture sHf
fer at il.ir hanes. dirt and confusion follow in
their woke, and instead OF being tho chief charm
OF The nouseho d as l,es should. they prove the
chief nais ,nce and believe TIN, to he wholly
tne fault of the parents. In their mistaken
| lJv- they indulge them in everything, trust
| ing the, will "outgrow" all these tendencies,
instead of which they become part of their
very being.
| An article | read the other day entitled "How
| to Spoil Child" read something like this
| "No great art is demanded, only three or four
| things are needed 10 complete the work. Make
every one wait on him aud fly at his bidding.
Let him learn never to go for drink but to have
| it brought TO him. At ten years OF age have
| Bridget tie his shoe strings. Let him strike
| any one who does not do exactly as he wishes.
| If this does not spoil him buy him horse, and
If anything more is needed to complete the
spelling give him plenty of money without any
| question as to what he does with it."
| 1t seems TO me the tendency of parents to
make everything SO smooth and easy for their
| children, to Participate every want and to sur
round them with every conceivable toy, Is a
most harmful one for the future character of
| the child. Children SO provided for, lose all
! inventive faculty, all ability to'amuse them
selves, all incentive to work, study usefulness,
| or self reliance. certain amount of hardship,
self-denial and elfreiance is needed to perfect
| character andlft us.for the emergencies, trials
and disappointments sure to fall to US, and
believe the training for this should begin in the
cradle. l have.written very long letter, and
now will close, hoping to hear from others on
this subject ESTHER.
Many offyouswil enjoy Esther's de-
scription of heriexperience and observance
of children, and thank her for ''answer-
ing to her name". We enjoy the various
opinions brought out in these different
letters, and am sure none of the faith :
full, painstaking, patient mothers who are
giving their best years to training the
dear little ones that have come to bless
their lives and. homes, will think re are
unsympathetie, or do not realize that there
are constantly coming up to fill the places
of those who have gone before, good
men and true, gentle, tender and loving
women-sons who honor their parents,
and daughters who make home life happy
and pleasant. After.all, no doubt, human
nature was much the same in Solomon's
day as it is in ours.