Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-06-16

could play. She was not long In doubt,
but taking little Ethel by the hand, she
went around behind the house, got a
shovel and an old peach basket, which
she filled with ashes from an old ash
heap near by, and carried it around to
the front porch. When the mother came
to see what they were doing, half an
hour later, the clearly scrubbed front
porch was dotted with little ash heaps.
Mabel received whipping because she
ought to have known better, and the
children were sent to "play' in the back
yard where the mother could watch
them.
Scenes of this kind were enacted a
score of times through the day, and the
weary mother wondered why her chill
dren were always getting. into mischief,
and why they could not play like other
children. Are there not many mothers
like her? They fail to recognize that the
little ones do not know how to play; the
mere command $50 out and play" con-
veys nothing to them. Mothers need
to be children with their children. Show
them how to make playhouse, and
how to play keep house; let them make
mud pies and cakes. Memory recalls
the delicious looking pies, cookies, and
cakes, frosted with red and white brick
dust, which we children used to make!
"Oh, don't like to have my children
play with mud and water" exclaimed
Mrs. Prim, ''they get so dirty" Do
they? Then teach them to be neat house
keepers. Ask them if they ever saw
their mother with flour and milk daubed
all over her dress. A child will readily
see the justice of being deprived of his
play if he does not keep himself reason
ably neat.
On my childhood playground we had
store, bakery, a hotel, a livery, a
blacksmith shop, in short, all the trades
men of the village were represented in a
small way. To be sure, all these bust
ness places did not have proprietors, but
then we imagined that they did. "Chil-
dren live in world of imagination and
feeling. They invest the most insight
ficant object with any form they please,
and see in it whatever they wish to see."
When our imagination failed, we went to
grandma or Aunt Libby for inspiration,
and we were never disappointed.
~ Decp luGO Jul clOAO w - hOAP
to some mother. The various articles,
which we kept stored in shoe boxes
| when not in use, were all pictures cut
from old catalogues and pasted on paste
board. This furnished us employment
on rainy days.) We had great supply
| of toy money, which we made by hold
ing paper firmly over the coins and rub
bling briskly with blunt lead pencil.
For sugar we had small keg of fine
sand. Another keg held supply of
soft water, which did duty for vinegar.
We had kegs of pickles and apples, and
our garden stuff supply came from our
own garden. Brick dust, fine sand,
gravel, red clay, and their mixtures
answ cred for multitude of things. We
besieged the kitchen for wrapping paper,
bags, cord, ETC., and Aunt Libby made
us happy by presenting us with small
pair of scales. We made great effort to
mark our goods correctly, and to adver-
tise our wares properly. When too cold
| TO play outdoors, we moved our village
| to an unused room over the kitchen. OF
course, there were times when all en-
ployment in our village failed to amuse
us, then we went to pastures new"
Mothers, try this plan for your little
ones. If they cannot carry out the Evil,
lage plan," at least, they may represent
some one of the occupations. Devote q
half hour of your time each day in teach
ing them to play. You can do this
much easier than to spend your time in
scolding and worrying. Of course, as
we have before mentioned, there will be
times when the village will fail to inter
est, then you must tax your ingenuity
for other employment.
| Get some old books and bottle oil
mucilage, allow the children to paste in
pictures taken from old catalogues
Get them box of paints, and show
them how to color the pictures. Color
ed pencils will also amuse them. Boxes
of perforated drawing cards are nice and
they are quite inexpensive. If the
mother is fortunate enough to be able tc
draw, she can make pictures of easy out
line on stiff manila paper. The children
may sew these with bright colore6
threads. Sewing cards may be purchaseo
ut small cost.
In catalogue of kindergarten sup
plies the mother will find many things
listed which will be almost invaluable tt
her in entertaining the little ones. One
collection deserves especial mention. i
| is called Seems from the Kindergarten. ,
1t contains drawing cards, sewing cards
awl, pad and paper to make more sew
ing cards, thread, colored paper will
designs for weaving, etc. These make
ideal employment for evenings and rainy
days. Full instructions accompany eacl
box, and the price is moderate. Another
source of help is little book brimful Of
suggestions for the mother, entitled zone
Hundred Devices for Busy Work"
When mothers recognize that the great
secret of good home government lies il
keeping the children happily and busily
employed, they will cease scolding ant
worrying and cast about for profitable
means to amuse their children. Little
children are necessarily active, and they
must work OFF in some way the super
fluous supply of energy which is general
ed in each one. Making restless chile
keep still'' is a repression of this en-
ergy, which initiates the whole nervou:
system, causing i'll temper and morose
ness. The wise mother recognizes this
and tries to direct this energy into right
activities. 1t has long been asserted
that ian idle mind is the DEVILS work
shop" A child who is busily and hap
PLY employed has no time to think o.
mischief. As soon as he tires of one
thing, his watchful parent substitutes
another pleasant occupation, and he il
kent from temptatiOn,
The next time your little boy or CIR
comes to you questioning, "Mamma
what shall / do?" don't answer, "Fol
PHYS sake, sit down and keep still, OF
else, "Oh, go out in the yard and play
Guide them into pleasant employment
sew the seeds of happy enjoyment fol-
them and yourselves, so that when child
hoods years are gone they may rise vi
and call you blessed. "She who rightly
directs the steps of the little ones de-
serves as much praise as any hero who
sacrifices his life that nation may live. y
Home Science Magazine.
Keep ChiIdren's Feet Dry.
/ A writer on children gives the follow