The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-06-13
LESSON IN
: OBEDIENCE.
toriginal.1

BefOre L wnS married | had very
definite notions as to the behavior of
children. agreed with all other old
maids that we'll behaved children were
at least tolerable. but badly behaved
children were nuisance. and TINT
obedience Is the fundamental principle
OF n child's education. and this am
endeavorlng to apply to my boy Jack.
Here Is a specimen of the way | do It:
Jack. you have wlllfully disobeyed
me. told you distinctly scarcely ten
minutes ngo not TO go to the sugar
bowl again. shall have to punish
you"
"Howw
II have not yet decided. I must find
some way to impress upon your mind
that obedience is absolutely essential"
"Are you going to hurt meT
mot by giving you pain. I wish IN
make you sorry for what you have
done"
"When are you going to begln7"
"To beginG Well. that will depend
upon the nature Of the punishment,
Physical punishment
whats that7"
"Come. come, Stop these questions
Little boys Of your age can't be ex-
pected 10 understand such things"
"whyf'
made no reply. The question was
repeated.
"Didn't tell you TO step asking
questions. n you ask another warn
you there'll be trouble. Now sit up In
that chair. I'm going to keep you there
q full half hour Wen see if I can't
make you understand that when tell
you to let that sugar bowl alone you
are to obey me-"
Jack climbed up into the chair and
sat nearly minute without speaking;
then he said:
Mamma. I think I understand that
when you tell me to let the sugar
bowl alone I'm 70 obey you"
But I wish to impress it on your
mind so that you won't forget t."
How long will Il takers
NO answer was cutting out
nightIe for Jack, and proceeded with
my work without paying the slightest
attention to him. There was silence
for few minutes; then he said: =.
Mamma" - III
No answer.
Mamma"
No answer.
Mamma"
Knowing that he would keep It up,
gave in and said: -
"Wbatf"
"whsn is the trouble going to be-
gin?"
what troubleT
Didn't you say that II asked an
other question there would be trou-
bleT
turned away that Jack should not
see my face. but didn't answer him.
what kind of trouble is 1t going to
be?"
Since an answer was impossible,
went out of the room for few min
utes to escape being pressed for one.
When d returned Jack harped on an.
other string.
Mamma, I'm not a bad boy. At
the exhibition at the kindergarten !
stood up before everybody while Miss
Brown said how good I'd been"
II suppose that made you feel very
6ne."
"H'ml felt funny"
what do you mean by funny"
II felt a chuckle down In my stom-
ick."
Not wishing the gravity of the situa-
tion broken. i again turned away my
face. There was no more conversation
for a period Of one minute, when Jack
broke the silence.
Mamma, II you'll let me get down
l'll try to be good"
"Its very hard to be good, Jack, isn't
it?"
HIN! It's mighty hard for me-"
II wish to impress upon you that you
must at least obey. Obedience is the
6rst thing for a child to learn"
''Wnl l learn 1t any more by sitting
here any longer7"
"You won't forget so easily"
Another minute passed, when Jack
remarked:
Mamma, this morning I was jump
ing on the spring bed. I came down
on the floor on my hands"
Haven't told you that you are not
to jump on the bed? You'll ruin the
mattress, and you might have hurt
yourself badly"
II didn't hurt myself. If I'd had the
time ! could have turned over and lit
on my feet"
Jack began to get very restless.
looked at the clock. He had been pun
ished Just eleven minutes. His punish
ment was wearing ON me far more
than on him.
Jack" said "if let you get down
do you think you can obey me in fu-
tureT
"Oh, yes, mamma; know can"
"Weli, come and give me kiss"
Jack gave me bear hug and ran
away In great glee.
In the afternoon. needing a spool OF
thread with which to finish Jacks
nightle. went out to buy one, leaving
Jack 0imorously and reluctantly in
care of a maid. with instructions to
watch him carefully. When | return
ed on going to the dining room found