Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-12-10
One Mothers WAY.

She had noticed at the church services
the disposition on the part of so many of
the young people who had not reached
the real thinking age to whisper and
who were quiet and respectful hardly
seemed to be listening but were gazing at
different things with their minds evidently
far from the subject
She had two boys and a girl OF her
own who would be reaching that age Ia
a few years and she did want them to
learn to listen-not only because there
would be less temptation to unbecoming
conduct. but for the immense gain ii
would be to them all through their lives
mentally, morally, and spiritually
Precept was good-eXample was better
but both of these together were not
sufficient to induce the children to listen
attentively when there was really much
in the sermon that was beyond them. 50
she hit upon this plan: AT the beginning
of month she told them on Sunday
morning that if they would listen careful
ly TO the sermon and write down after
they came home all they could remember
of it on every Sunday of that month she
would give them each present. And
she would do the same thing every mouth,
but they must be honest, listen earnestly,
and write all they could remember. The
children accepted the proposition enthusi-
astically and during the sermon that
morning they scarcely took their eyes
from the minister's face As soon a3
they reached home they began their writ
ing, while the mother was getting dinner
ready. Sometimes one would have the
best report, sometimes another but there
was no prize for the best account but
for each one If he cd his own best
When the last Sunday in the month
came, after dinner, when the sermon for
that day had been reported the mother
told the children they might search for
their gifts, which she had hidden ahonf
the room plainly marked with each ones
name. They had a fine time hunting
them, and the little girl had the colored
crayons she had been wishing for; the
older hoy n book, not expensive he had
been wanting to read; and the younger
one delightful picture puzzle. They
were all happy over their gifts and
anxious TO try again the next month as2l
so ii went on. The mother tried to keen
as much variety about the rewards as
possible, and they were always great sur
prises. Sometimes there was pretty
little paper box of candy for each one
Always the presents were simple. and
often homemade. fer money was by no
means plentiful in that home, and the
mothers ingenuity was often taxed to
the utmost.
1t took thought time. and sometimes
real sacrifice, but as the children grew
and she saw their quiet attention, which
in time grew into a real interest in the
sermon, and as one by one they came out
BOLDLY on the Lords side and were known
as His followers, she felt repaid an hun
dred fold for all that the carrying out of
the plan had cost her. OF course, in time
the rewards were dropped, but the habit
remained, and not one of those children
as they grew to maturity but thanked
their mother in the depths of their hearts
for helping them to form habit that
had broadened all their lives and in
creased their usefulness in the vineyard
of the Lord.-Wallace Farmer.