Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-01-19
BOYS AND GIRLS.
THOUGHTLESS CRUELTY.

GOOD morning, Nelson" Aiireo
called out, cheerily.
"Hello, Limpy!" cried Nelson, in
return. "Hurry up, or you'll get wet.
It's going to rain"
Just then Nelson was startled by
his fathers voice, coming from the
library, inside the house.
"Nelson, want you'll"
There was an unusual sternness in
Mr.. Aldrich's voice that Nelson had
not heard for some time, and he
answered the summons with some
trepidation.
swell, sir" he said respectfully.
"Nelson," said his father gravely,
"who was that passed just now2"
"Al. Harrison"
"wbat was the name you called
him by2"
"Limpy. All the boys call him
that, because, you know, he does
limp" Then, catching sight of the
frown on his fathers face, he added,
quickly, "Oh, he doesn't mind it at
aIl!n
"How do you know he doesn't?"
"Well, he never said he did,"
"Did he ever request you to call
him 'Limpy2'"
"No-o."
"Do you SUPPOSE" continued Mr..
Aldrich, still more gravely, "that his
mother and sisters call him Limpy?"
"No, l suppose not" admitted Nell
son, beginning to feel uncomfortable.
"Yet they should" pursued Mr..
Aldrich, "if he doesn't mind it, and
rather likes it, as your remarks would
infer. Yet I'll venture to say that he
never hears that name at home, or
from any one, in fact, but boys and
thoughtless men. Did you ever hear
me call him that?"
"No, never did,"
Scan you guess the reason why2"
Il presume you thought it was
wrong to give him nickname" re-
piled Nelson, after rejecting a
moment.
"Yes, that is the reason. 1t is
wrong to call him 'Limpy,' because it
Is cruel"
"Cruel!" exclaimed Nelson. 81 am
sure never intended to be cruel to
Alfred. l think he is as nice as any
boy know"
81 have no doubt your intentions
were good" said Mr.. A1drich; but
you were thoughtless. There are
very few people in the world who are
deliberately cruel in speech and such
people soon become known and
are avoided, 80 that they do not in
fiict 80 much injury as they might.
But there are thousands of people
who are cruel because they are
thoughtless in speech. Let me ask
you a question. Last summer you
went to the city on a two-weeks' va
cation, and came back very suddenly
because you lost your purse. Did
you not get very angry when the boys
laughed about your loss and the in
glorious ending of your vacation?"
Eyes, 1 did," admitted Nelson,
readily. "It wasn't my fault at all,
and 1t might have happened to the
sharpest boy in the world"
"Certainly it might" said Mr.. Aid
rich. And you may remember that
never reprosched you. Now, poor
Alfred Harrison was crippled through
no fault Of his, and as his injury arose
from being let fall by careless nurse,
when in his childhood, it might have
happened to you just as easily. You
must also know that he is keenly
alive to the fact that he Is inferior tc
other boys because of his affection
and yet you taunt him with it every
time you give him nickname"
"But did not mean to hurt his
feelings"
az know 1t, and I am talking to yor
now to make you understand that yor
must think OF others feelings ani
how easily they are wounded. Yor
are no worse than other boys, but
want you to be better"
"I'll never call him Limpy again, ,
said Nelson, contritely.
"That's good-for beginning. But
you should not stop with Alfred. Run
over q list OF your acquaintance
snd see how many nicknames yot
are in the habit Of bestowing tina
are based on thoughtless cruelty
Perhaps there are a dozen, maybe I
score, but you will have no difficult!
in finding them, and then I hope yoI
will apply the proper remedy"
Perhaps had better stop giving
nicknames to anybody" said Nelson
thoughtfully.
1 q