Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-07
LITTLE PITCHERS
HAVE BIG EARS
By MARGARET F. sANcsrER
fCopyright. 1906. by Joseph B. BowIes

ttOpFrlght. 1910. by Joseph D. bONles]
Nothing stamps a home more surely as
sweet and refined than confidence between
parents and children Still, In every
household matters conre up which should
not be discussed in the presence of juniors.
This is especially true when, as sometimes
happens, the older ones are talking over
questions that concern outsiders, either
nelghbors or friends. If, unfortunately,
something comes to light about family
in the community which that family would
naturally prefer TO keep to itself. 1t is to
the last degree unkind as well as uuwise
to make any allusiou to the subject in the
hearing of children. The difference between
children so far as curiosity is concerned,
ia very marked. An inquiSitiVe child who
is also secretive. will lnger about, quietly
observant, hanging eagerly on the CONVEX
sation Of father and mother, only half un-
Outstanding what she hears, and perhaps
without knowing the extent of the mischief
she makes. will repeat scraps that she has
heard to the undoing of the parents. No
one can be other than mortified if her
friends are told things that she has said
at home. which were never meant for the
public ear.
The little pitcher is often a little critic.
One Of these children said to me: Il cannot
understand mother. She saw Mrs. - COM
ing down the street, and she said to Aunt
Charlotte: There is that old cat I am
afraid she is coming here. She always
chooses the most inconvenient time. and |
can't bear her anyway. L expected,
went on the child. Ito see her treat Mrs.
very coldly, but she was just as polite
as she could be. She said: Dear Mrs. -,
how glad l am to see you and great
deal more. If tell stories / am punished
But what can / think of mother?
What, indeed? If you are going to be
social -hypucrite you would better keep
your little pitchers in the nursery out of
sight and hearing of your deceit. All the
prccept In the world will not make chill
dren truthful If they have object lessons III
lying set before their eyes.
Not a great while ago beautiful golden
haired little boy scarcely four startled |
his mother by calmly uttering an oath |
in the middle of his play. why. Harry!' |
exclaimed the mother in dismay. Where |
did YOU hear such word? Do you not |
know that It is very, very wicked to use |
such words that?
Why" said the child. with honest eyes |
fixed on her face. lit can't be so Very |
wrong. Father and Uncle Fred often speak |
in that way
Children are creatures of imitation. The |
words they hear they repeat. EVIL Is not |
evolved from the recesses of their own |
hearts. 1t comes upon them as part Of the |
stain and soil Of the world In which they |
live.
A great deal of harm is done to children |
when they are left in the care of irrespon- |
slble and incompetent hirelings. A mother |
careful of every breath her child draws |
sometimes seeks for it nurse who IS for !
eign born, with the very laudable desire |
to accustom the chids ear and tongue to |
French, or German, or Italian, that 1t
may acquire the other language side by
side with its native English. Unless the
mother obtains for the child nurse who
is pure-mnded and sufficiently well edu-
Gated to speak her own tongue with pre-
cisinH she may be doing the child a great
injury. 1t is advantage to infancy to
learn corrupt and barbarous patois in
stead of pure and elegant language. If,
in addition. the nurse be rough and until
tored and without scruDlcs of conscien-
tiuus order. the little pitcher will very
probably be filed to the brim with ideas
and thoughts that are anything but clean
and wholesome.
The imperative cry OF children is for
something to do. Therefore so soon as
ths little one energies from the ddwning
mists of babyhood and becomes an indie
pendent parsonage, with eXactions ana de-
should open for it a new world. In the
multiform plays and tasks of the kinder
garteu. with the little tables where clay
may be nodded and beads may be strung,
aud patterns pricked into paper with pins.
a child steps into a fascinating realm Of