The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1904-05-10

v1nced that punishment is deserved is not bene-
flied by it. 1t is the frailty of after years to
take no account of the well-earned rebukes that
did not come. and to remember forever the sting
of a lash that fell in passion unprovoked.
So few people try to govern children by appeal
ing to the ~gentility that is in them. [ remember
that once I travelled on a ship with a man and his
wife and their two children. They were people
of a good deal of consequence, and one would have
fancied that their children would have a perfect
RICH to be spoiled if they wished to be, and it
was because they weren't at ali spoiled that they
attracted so much attention. They were normal,
healthy and vigorous, but they were the most
considerable little people I ever saw. They were
different from the majority Of children I had
seen, and they delighted everybody. They were
very blithe and gay, but they never seemed to
get in the way, and their easy manners and I'M
selfshness were beautiful to lok upon. I asked
the man what the matter was how he and his wife
managed to accomplish the miracle. He smiled
and said:
owe imagine that children have reason. We
we're vain enough to suppose that children were
naturally honest and had consciences of the right
sort. We have no new creeds and make no preach
ment about methods, but since our children were
able to think we have treated hem with the ut
most consideration-just as if they were really
human and fairly intelligent. The boy is ten
years old, and he is a very decent little chap, as
you see. He treats his mother as if she were
a princess of the blood, and, though he is as
familiar with her as a child ought to be, his man
ner to her is that of a gentleman. This may
sound silly to you, but he never enters her bed
room without knocking and receiving permits
sion to enter. He is quick to wait on her in little
things; if he stumbles against her he apologies
He and I are son and father, and
we are friends. Since he has been old enough
to understand I have treated him as a gentle
man. I exact the same demeanor from him, and
I find that this does not interfere with our romp-
ing together like two playmates at recess. If
he lied in the past, I have not cut up rough about
it. I have merely said to him, Gentlemen do not
lie. You have hurt me, hurt yourself, hurt your
mother. Unless I see you are honestly sorry for
the lie and are willing to apologize in the right
sort of way I can have very little to do with you
[ have made him suffer a great deal by that meth
cd even when he was much smaller than he is now.
He understood. Children begin to understand
quite early, I think; and I was quite open with
him.. L made him do no more than / would do
myself-expected no more from him than that.
"His mother is prouder of him than she will
let you see, and he values the intimacy with her.
He really likes us, and [ think that is one of the
secrets of raising a child correctly. So many
children do not like their parents in the best sense
of the term. This boy approves of us, and what
ever we may be with the rest of the world we are
exactly truthful with him and his sister. Since
the little girl was five years old I have lifted my
hat gravely and bowed to her whenever I met
her ON the streets. And look at the comradeship
between her and her mother. The greatest friends
Her mother gives her just as much consideration
as she gives her dearest woman friend. is lust as