The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-05

20 matter what other assets a
IN community may have. its best and
brightest are its children, for
there is no end to the promises these Of
fer for future years. During this fort
night more than ever the children have
been first in the thoughts of the people,
though they are always first, for that
matter, in the heart and mind of the
world. because of the annual celebration
which more and more becomes a juvenile
festival
Mentally reviewing the list of tiny boys
and girls to whom the coming of the good
Saint Nick really had its significance, /
can not fail to be impressed with the num-
Der of Birmingham's interesting little
folks. And personal acquaintance with
the small persons and their parents is
convincing enough as to the really fine
material here for the making of the cit
izenry of the future
There are few spoiled darlings in this
aggregation of cunning little boys and
girls. The modern mother in some other
communities may be overindulgent, the
modern father too immersed in his affairs
to be a chum for his boys and girls--this
in broadly general sense, but certainly
there is an exception here, for the mod
ern Birmingham mother and father are
achieving a signal success In the train
ing of the most normal, the most child
like of children
The mother of today is vastly different,
1T appears. from the narrow, shallow sort
of a few years back. who thought that
her own was the most beautiful the best
and brightest of infants. and never for
gave an opinion to the contrary: but
perhaps, nevertheless, whacked and tyran-
nized him into sullen obedience as he
grew old enough to develop individuality.
Mother Can See Their Faults
The other day a young mother who has
quite a brood of boys and girls all of
them well behaved and attractive little
people, stated calmly that before its curls
were clipped her youngest was the most
beautiful child she ever saw.
She is not very pretty now" she con-
tinued. but a year ago she was the most
perfectly beautiful creature | have ever
seen. Now l do not say this" she con-
tinued, because she is my child. If I saw
her In another home 1 would still say the
same, for l am not prejudiced nor mar
row. / know which of my children are
best and which are brightest, and which
are good looking. I am trying not to be
blinded to faults or defects SO that l
may intelligently correct both"
To see Master William Arthur, Cheno-
weth III. or Culpepper Exum. Jr., or
Mortimer Harvie Jordan. Jr., clad in
rompers or overalls and busiy digging in
the dirt some fine morning, his cheeks
as red as winter apples, one can have no
doubt he is going to arrive breezily and
merrily at mans estate and make a big
success Of life; for they are forceful lit
tie man and energetic. too. Arthur was
mapped" with the kodak, out on his
front lawn, in the exuberance of his spir-
It's ne was holding his fat little arms high
over his head. but when asked to put
them down he obligingly did so and the
dimpled fingers are spread out so that
each fat hand looks like very small star
nsh.
His 10 a boys neighborhood, though
most of the others are big boys Close
by IL the man who last summer cleverly
solved the problem of keeping his front
lawn nice and smooth.