The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1906-03-09
PITCHERS"
oRowN-uPs OFTEN .UNwIsE IN
TALK BEFORE CHILDREN.
"Little Pitchers Have Big Ears and
Parents Should Be Careful About
Discussing Neighbors in, Their
Hearing-object Lessons in Lying
The Incompetent Nurse - Bur-
dens Upon Childish Minds-Copy-
ing Parents Faults.
BY MARGARET. y. sANGsTER.

Copyright. 1906, by Joseph b.. Bowles.)
Nothing stamps a home more surely
as sweet and refined than entire conf
dence between parents and children.
Still, in every household matters come
up which should not be discussed in
the presence of juniors. This is espe-
cially true when, as sometimes hap
pens, the older ones are talking over
questions that concern outsiders, either
neighbors or friends. II, unfortunate
ly, something comes to light about a
family in the community, which that
family would naturally prefer to keep
to itself, 1t is to the last degree un-
kind as we'll as unwise to make any
allusion to the subject in the hearing
of children. The difference between
children, so far as curiosity Is con
cerned, is very marked. An inQuisitive
child who is also secretive, will linger
about, quietly %observant, hanging
eagerly on the conversation Of father
and mother, only half understanding
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 pa
rents. No one can be other than NOR
titled 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: II cannot understand mother.
She saw Mrs. - coming down the
street, and she said to Aunt Charlotte:
There is that old cat. am afraid she
is coming here. She always chooses
the most inconvenient time. and I can't
bear her anyway Il 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 I am to see
you and a great deal more. II l tell
stories, I am punished. But what a
l think of mother?"
What, indeed? II YOU are going to
be q social hypocrite you would better
keep your little pitchers in the nursery
out Of sight and hearing of your de-
ceit. All the precept in the world will
not make children truthful II they have
object lessons in lying set before their
eyes.
Not a great while ago, a 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
a word? Do you not know that 1t Is
very, very wicked to use such words
as that?"
why" said the child. with honest
eyes fixed on her face. at can't be so
very wrong. Father and Uncle Fred
often speak in that way"
C..iidren 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 chill
dren when they are left in the carr
Of irresponsible and incompetent hire
lings. A mother careful Of every
breath her child draws, sometimes
seeks for 1t a nurse who is foreign
born, with the very laudable desire to
accustom the child's ear and tongue
to French, or German, or Italian, SO that
1t may acquire the other language side
by side with its native English. I'm
less the mother obtains for the child
q nurse who is pure-minded and sufn-
GENTLY well educated to speak her own
tongue with precision, she may be do
ing the child a great injury. 1t is no
advantage TO infancy to learn a cor.
rupt and barbarous patois. instead Of
a pure and elegant language. If, in ad-
dition, the nurse be rough and untu-
tored, and without scruples OF a CON
scientious order, the little pitcher will
rery probably be filled to the brim
with ideas and thoughts that are any
thing but clean and wholesome.
The imperative cry of childhood Is
for something to do. Therefore, so
soon as the little enc emerges from
the dawning mists of babyhood and be-
comes an Independent parsonage. with
expctions and demands that are to be
met, the kindergarten should open for
1t a new world. In the multiform
plays and tasks Of the kindergarten,
with the little tables where clay may
be nodded and beads may be strung,
and patterns pricked into paper with
pins. a child steps into a fascinating
realm Of its own. Children who are
carefully taught in a kindergarten and
who are allowed plenty of time for
outdoor play, who are BEAUTIFULLY ac-
tive all day and who go to bed early
at night, are not in much danger Of
becoming Objectionable little pitchers.
For the children's own sake, they
should not too early have burdens laid
upon them that they cannot bear. A
woman who has children Of her own
told me that when she was a little