The Washington herald., 1914-12-27
THE FORWARD CHILD

Two women were discussing mutual
friend at an afternoon tea.
How is it never see you any more
at Bellies afternoons said one suddenly.
She asked me the other day IL you had
given her up"
'I have" returned the other, until
she keeps her children out Of the par
ior.'
'-oh, 1 understand" laughed the first
speaker. "Many's the time they have
made my life burden too. Such spoiled
chiIdren-smart Alecs every one"
Arc you the proud mother who thinks
it imperative TO show of children on the
company days? II so, look well to the
kiddies' manners, for If they are forward,
demanding, monopolizing on the Visi-
tors day your list of calling friends is
apt to dwindle. A good many other
women, who consider the dignities all i'm
portant on growp-up occasions, have
given up visiting on account of the
smart-Alec child.
How does the obnoxious child show off
what arc its particular offenses? Well
here are a few examples taken directly
from life:
Some time in the carly '70's-I know the
woman who was the child then-a digni-
fled southern lady was telling the new
clergyman of a terrible disease that was
making great havoc among the county $
beasts just then. She called it epidemic,
and thereupon the small girl who was
listening said impatiently: Why. moth
er. how, foolish you are! It's epizootic.
Another mother in recent years was
giving a dinner party, with Billy the
hopeful of the house sitting beside
lady who had many domestic sorrows- of
a painful nature. Billy stared at her
during three courses, and then he leaned
over and said in a voice audible to all
the table:
Il know what you've got in your closet
"a skeleton"
The third example plunged proud
father into bushes and fury. He was
speaking French with a young lady at
an evening gathering at his home when
UP comes Miss Susy, a fat. bold-eyed
little mink of six, who in the very teeth
Of the guest said shamelessly:
LIN studyin' French. know more
- than Father does-an' you an anybody
here
Perhaps they all got a spanking after
ward, but doubt it, for children who
air themselves in this manner are gen.
orally the spoiled ones who know no
horne government. The little ofrenses
they commit sound funny in the comic
page at the back OF a book, but they are
horrible when delivered face to face,
and all point to defect in general home
manners. If serious things are gossiped
about in a careless way before small fry,
children cannot be expected to have the
respect they should have for the sorrows
Of others II their insolent Interruptions
to Erown-up conversation are not cor
rected at the outset and they have had
the free foot from babyhood with show
ing of, they are bound to seem detest-
able and vulgar to others. Then, If
these impertinences continue, think what
q bad start II gives the child for adult
wants the floor always, and is given ii,
IS bound to be unmanagRble at the more
trying time OF youth, and when girl and
boy 90 forth for the struggle with life
there is all the world banded together to
whip them into shape. They have to be-
gin life all over again, because as little
children, indeed, TO seem acceptable in
the pRradise OF good society. Even In
the matter Of business they are at a dis
count, for suavity OF manner and the
respect due to others are the first requi'
sites for getting along in the world.
But nowhere in the world does a badly
brought up child show TO such disadvan-
tage as in the home. The naughtiesi
may put on some polite frills wher
abroad but under the weakly wings OF
father and mother the rude unframed
child may fairly wallow in indecencies
Grown people and children alike are
treated with the same thoughtless dis
courtesy-the smart-Alec child has not
been taught the sacredness of hospitality
Tended a small playmate to the point oi
weeping.
The dignities and feelings of others are
entirely unknown for the simple reason
that the youngster has been allowed tc
think only Of itself.
Yet even n child of six can be trained
into shape IL some effort is made to reach
its imagination with some simile or Other
that it can understand.