St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-07-15

upon the nature of the punishment
Physical punishment
Whats thatr
Come. come! Stop these questions.
Little boys OF your age can't be ex-
pected to understand such things"
"WhyY
made no reply, The question was
repeated.
Didn't tell you to stop asking
questions. II you ask another, | warn
you therell be trouble Now sit up in
that chair I'm going TO keep you there
a full half hour Wen see If 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 a minute without speaking;
then he said:
Mamma. think understand that
when you tell me to let the sugar
bowl alone I'm to obey you"
"But wish to impress It on your
mind so that you won't forget it."
How long will II taker
No answer. | was cutting out
nightle for Jack, and proceeded with
my work without paying the slightest
attention to him. There was silence
for a few minutes; then he said:
Mamma"
No answer.
Mamma"
No answer.
Mamma"
Knowing that he would keep it up, l
gave In and said:
"WhatT
when is the trouble going to be-
ginT'
What troubleT
Didn't you say that II asked an
other question there would be trou-
ble|
| turned away that Jack should not
see my face. but didn't answer him.
What kind of trouble is II going to
beT
went out of the room for a few min
utes to escape being pressed for one.
When | returned Jack harped on an
other string.
Mamma, I'm not bad boy AT
the exhibition at the kindergarten
stood up before everybody while Miss
Brown said how good I'd been"
Il suppose that made you feel very
fine
HIN! felt funny"
"What do you mean by funny"
II felt a chuckle down in my stom-
ick"
Not wishing the gravity Of the situa
ton broken, again turned away my
face. There was no more conversation
for a period of one minute. when Jack
broke the silence.
Mamma. If you'll let me get down
III try to be good"
IFS very hard to be good, Jack, isn't
itY
HIN! It's mighty hard for me-"
II wish to impress upon you that you
must at least obey. Obedience is the
first thing for child to learn"
"Will learn 1t any more by sitting
here any longer?"
/ "You won't forget so easily"
Another minute passed. when Jack
remarked:
Mamma. this morning | was jump
ing on the spring bed l 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 flu
ture?'
"Oh, yes, mamma: | know | can"
"Well. come and give me kiss"
Jack gave me a bear hug and ran
away in great glee.
In the afternoon, needing a spool of
thread with which to finish Jack S
nightie ! went out to buy one, leaving
Jack GENEROUSLY and reluctantly In
care of a maid. with instructions to
watch him carefully When | return.
ed on going to the dining room found
Jumps of sugar mingled with frag
ments of my cut glass sugar bowl "a
wedding present. scattered on the
floor Hearing yell upstairs, | few
up to the third story. There was Jack
with blood from his nose running over
a lump of sugar protruding from his
mouth. He had been trying to jump
from the bed high enough to give him
time to turn over.
II ever an old maid tells me how t.
bring up children I'll tell her to 60 and
get one and practice awhile.
MRS. SARAH D. WILSON.