The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-08-06

SALTWATER,
hat. She gave her evidence in haugh-
ty tone of voice and seemed as tho
she was comforting great favor to
answer the questions put to her, but
after being strongly censured by the
judge the following explanation was
given in hard, inexorable tone. She
explained to the court that the prisoner
at the bar, (the prisoner could hardly
be seen as his head barely reached the
top of the dock) had been an awful,
wicked wretch, in fact regular tyrant
and had been expelled from various
schools. He had been sent to school
before he was four years old, and tho
she had strove to the best of her ability
to keep him there he had been unable
to get along and had been expelled
from one after the other and she de-
clared she could do nothing with him,
that he was a nuisance to her and
would like to have him sent to re-
form school for ten years or longer if
possible.
Now instead of complimentiDg the
lady upon her system of teaching
morals the judge remarked: 81 under
stand you didn't care to bring him up
yourself as you considered it would
interfere too much with your bridge
playing and other social entertain
ments. So you sent him to school in
order to get him out of your way. 1t
would have been better perhaps to have
kept him at home little longer and
also to have manifested more personal
interest in his welfare. Boys will be
boys especially those who have little
or no home training; it was very diff
cult for youngster under those cir
cumstances to resist temptation and
l wish to advise you and many other
mothers who rush to a police court
and wish their boy imprisoned or sent
to reform school, to think and con-
slider this matter before making such
mistep, as i can call it nothing else.
Develop some of the maternal instinct
in you, cling close to those to whom
you gave birth, do not be so anxious
to condemn them and thereby live a
happier and more motherly life in the
sanctity of your own home surrounded
by your children who will look up to
and admire you and also having the
love and affection of your husband
and the confidence and admiration OF
your neighbors. Let bridge and
such other nonsense alone, and believe
me you will find how great is the change
that will come into your life and you
will realize daily of what great good
can come of such true and materna
affection"
After giving the boy severe warn
, ing he said to the fond parent: SNOW
, you know your duty, madam; taxi
that boy home and look after him.
} And instead of being sent to the re
formatory this ten-year-old monster o
iniquity was committed to home ant
mother for the present, let us hop
, possibly by seeing herself in her tru
, colors that by her changed life he may
J. let US hope, probably to heaven. Whicl
/ of the two maternal types do you pre-
Q ferp Practically speaking suppos
: ones preferment doesn't matter YER
r much because wa haven't the choic
n in the selection of q mother, but W
f may be Influenced little in the ,sele(
r tton of motheI-in-law or steI
q mother for our children. Of cours
9 neither of the types of womanhood
b absolutely perfect. For my part a
d 1 contemplate and view the pictur
t of ten-doAar, stylishly dressed, bridge
d playing, severely moral type, why th
Q better like the oranges and gin en-
Q Following along other lines of swet
70 maternal disposition and persuasi0
,r and still further bringing into vie
q the contradictions of human natur
70 we end that in many incidents tt
n persuasions used by father or moth'
,e are sometimes in the extreme. Ho
ID much better would things be if kind
If advice was given instead of what SON
e- people call gentle maternal persuasion
st An article which read some tin
or ago comes to my mind. It deals wit
to- persuasion and from it should JUDI
Dr. that there are in existence many val
IN GUS ideas as to what constitutes volu
ly tary testimony. Here is what too