The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-11


 /EYNR& her brow. In her hand she held bulky W black volume. The title visible; it ul&Iy was Kindergarten and Child Culture On HsH the table by Miss Wentworth's side were n several other volumes of imposing aspect - and in bookracls at her elbow the famous , of Froebel, Pestaozzi Middendorf, mingled with modern lights of the kindergarten such Elizabeth Harrison and Barnard. It peculiary of Agatha, Miss Wentworth's niece, that small library purchased the first step into any theory Before Cecil Agathas only child, was out of long cothes-well, in fact before he n then-the husband (who was Miss Wentworth's own nephew, Agatha being only here niece-in-law) had both been West to Boston by the illness of Agathas mother The Baneses left the evening of the day their innocent maiden aunt arrived on her way back to Cambridge m the limousine and looked very pretty and plain tive as she explained the telegram only that morning received. and begged Aunt Hester to stay with Baby Cecil until their return otherwise she could be sure that she should keep her reason.
 'You have had so much experience and you are so mellow Anglo-American tones Agatha had married man of the Middle West but she herself was Boston Cabot.
 @Hun,ph !" demurred Miss Wentworth. "I have only helped the boys through Harvard by giving them a house where they were always welcome. don't know anything about young children. Cecil IS four or
 "Sir" Agatha Interrupted with an emphasis which conveyed subtle reproach to the great-aunt.
 ~To be sure, time does fly so; but he is certainly JoHng But of course, should be delighted to stay with Cecil if it would be any help to you-"
 Agatha interrupted eagerly that it would be the very greatest help and hastened to enghten her viceroy
 Cecil has young ladyIshe isn't nurse you know .o, has failed and she is resting this year, and taking charge of Cecil; but Miss Cargl is most faithful and she has snch compelling personality; without word hardly by look she seems to control him. And he is welf she watches his diet He eats the simplest things; doesn't even know the taste of candy -
 Miss Wentworth was conscious of heroical impulse of compassion for the boy who had eaten candy He must be wonderfully good little chap" said
 All t$.s. sounded alr>ost too perfect; she was on the watch for the inevitable drawback It Cecil his mother said, was very obedient, except in one more appealing than ever.
 T don't understand it" she sighed. five. done :r. but can't break him of it. Neither can Miss argir She says he is actually the only child whose habits have tSo ush f0r her. And this
 What is itf' said Miss Wentworth
 -But hs hasn't done it for almost two weeks
 AOh. you mustn't think it is anything serious showing the least real perverson of his moral sense
 oh ip aaa ss "l pi9ns 9lIy he w
 That was the other house and we put it out with the garden hose; he little chap then. Why, he nteI!isently how t happened"
 Miss Wentworths fifty years in world of mothers and children had taught her discreet silence where she could not abound in hope; she made no comment be- yond the consomg plattude that most children played
 aBut they outsrow it,. said she. ''Those who are not burnt up !" she added to herself.
 And perhaps for the relief of seeing her fears dis Aunt Hester eosid persuade Cecil to promise he would nit play with maches! For once Cecil gave his word didn't Aunt i Hester think that that was s> beauui trsts Why, he promised me when he was only three and half never to taste candy except with my permission tried to apply the principles of Froebe and it would seem asif; some;ghe,e, could find exactly his case "You haven't tried promising him a good sOankinQ
 ~Its against all our principles" sighed Agatha; and her dove eyes blurred with tears Fear is demoraliz paddles slapped but Wentworth got desperate one day caught him playing with matches yet that very same morning overheard Elsa the housemaid who was his nurse scolding him. and could see the burned matches slipping out of his little hand. know ought to have told Wentworth: but he's particular about keeping his his. word and simply couldn't bring i1 myself to tell had been good about playing with matches that he should take him to the circus; and while held my looked squarey up his fathers face and said: But did play wiv matches papar Went positively gasped: | Y promise % you spanking if caught you @ striking fully but you didn't eot eotek me- And Went actually accepted the subterfuge; but he said that he should whip him when he did catch him. and he couldn't take him to the circus all Cecil said guess I'll have Barnumr"
 ~Has he played witl, matches since?"
 "Oh yes; but we haven't told Wentworth. And that makes it harder. kept secret from him be- fore but don't know how he could bear it to strike the child and know it would have bad effect on Cecil
 ~AI the authorities agree the chfs selfwi is only the perverted expression of his growing of per- sonality; and if could make him feel himself part whole as Froebel puts it, instead of just himself and make him realize his responsibility and understand how much mischief and danger there is in the habit, we might stop it. for he has the tenderest heart in the world did begin collection of clippings about chil. dren who set fire to things told him of the little girl coming and hastily threw the matcbin her fingers away to run out of the roo but the match fell against the vslance of bed and set the house a6re; of the children who threw matches into the wastebaslet and also about the little boy who threw burning paper at 3arllytic grandmother-oh, quite number of other yker] le instances.