The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1911-12-05
Managing
Willie

II was over AT Mrs. Kershaw's the
other day said the woman with the
little boy who was calling on her next
door neighbor, and | must say that
she has changed of late years! Why.
when | knew her as a girl she had
such ability and was such a manager
and you ought to see the way that
house is run and the perfectly dread
full way she has with her children!
Il don't believe in the old fashioned
way of frightening children to pieces
and making them obey you because
they are afraid. never have the
least trouble with my Willie. because
| treat him like human being. Darl-
ing. don't handle the fern, for Mrs.
James may not like it. Everybody
isn't like mother, who understands
how Interested little boys are in ma
ture. Stop bending the leaf, dearest
oh, now, see. You've broken the whole
stalk of. There, Willie. you see
what happens when you don't obey
mother.
ITS perfectly wonderful, Mrs. James,
the /, asoning power displayed by that
child. You wouldn't think ii, but he
undc rstands cause and effect perfect
", He bent the and it broke
an act and result, you see. Willie,
why did you break all those other
leaves, too? On, SO the plant would
be even all around. Now, did you
ever hear anything cleverer than that,
Mrs. James? Willie has such an eye
for form. am sure he Is going to be
something wonderful, aren't you! l
always believe in encouraging child
when he shows any signs of develop
ing particular faculty.
There! Willie Is investigating your
cuckoo clock now. He has a passion
/ for finding out the reason for things.
Willie, darling. you mustn't swing on
the weights of the clock, you really
mustn't.
There! What did mother tell you
You swung on the weights and now
you've pulled the whole clock down
of the wall! You are likely to give
people headaches when you make a
big noise like that. Every one hasn't
, the perfect control Of her nerves that
mother has.
! There's everything In control. don't
you think so, Mrs. James? never al.
low any external fact to upset me.
oh, is the clock broken? Well,
don't believe 1t Is a very bad break
and a clever clock man can easily
oh, you say you brought 1t from Swift
zerland and It has complicated for
eign mechanism? Well. 1t does seem
to me that Americans ought to be
able to find enough goods manufactur.
ed in this country without encourag'
ing anarchists and paupers abroad
I've often heard my husband talk
about political affairs, SO | suppose
am better informed than most women.
"The way Mrs. Kershaw let's her
children run over her is perfectly
dreadful. She didn't seem to have the
least control of them at all. l.
willie, you must't scratch the pi'
anO with that pin. Mother means what
she says. darling, and l expect you ia
obey. Not another scratch after that
one you are making! I've no doubt
If your furniture polish Is the right
kind, Mrs. James, 1t will rub the
scratches out perfectly and, anyhow
they are such delicate ones. Willie
has such a dainty touch with every
thing that sometimes I think he is 60
ing to be an artist.
"Why, Wil-lle.e-e! Didn't you
hear me say not another scratch? And
you've made at least six more! Now
simply will not be disobeyed that
way and you may go sit In the greer
velvet chair. Climb back and sit
there! You see, Mrs. James. | always
punish promptly when Willie dOesn'
mind me.
III you had children yourself you't
understand how it warns mother.
heart to feel the little things depend
ing on one and taking ones word a.
gospel law. Why. Willie would M
sooner think of going contrary to m!
wishes than he would think Of flying
would you, dear?
"My goodness, where is Willie? HI
isn't in the green velvet chair. Yo'
haven't cellar door or anything open
have you. Mrs. James, that he Nigh
fall down? can't understand-oh
you say he is on the other side Of TIN
plano scratching 1t with another pin
willie, come here-at once! Don
you know you grieve mother terribl
when she finds that she cant trus
you? Oh. you say YOU wanted to Sc
II a black pin would make the sam
kind of scratch as white one! Di
you ever-that investigating min
again. 1t makes me feel terribly re
sponsible. Mrs. James. to think tina
II rests with me whether that shall a
be mistakenly crushed out or eli
couraged.