Norwich bulletin., 1914-04-11
VACATION DAYS

l these days. The correct tone now-o- l days for older ones is so often that of
 indifference to all things, intended to imply that the world is to them @ squeezed orange. Life and joy are
 new to the young children. and they
 display their happiness with a frank
 ness that calls forth a smile in re-
 sponse from the most serious and
 careworn heart.
 With the girls, all the dollies must nave especial attention as the first
 duty to their little mothers. So the
 toy go-cart and carriage are brought
 out, and all the doll tribe are given an
 outing in the sunshine and fresh air.
 How glad l am that it doesn't rain
 as It did yesterday" called one little
 one to her equally small neighbor.
 Did It rain yesterday? I forget" was the reply. les indeed. it rained hard.
 Mamma would not let me take my
 pest doll out on the piazza for fear she would take cold. I took cold my self. and it made me cough in the night" A third anxious parent, six years Of age now joined the group.
 How are your children to-day? All out for a ride? Well, my Marietta was bad girl, so I slapped her good and took her into the house, and filled her carriage with my Teddy bears. There are three of them, and they have not mad 9 ride for long time, Aren't they lovely? I think they are perfect little dears. They love dearly to ride See! that one Is laughing now"
 When the children tire of the car rlages, they will take to roller skates, never failing amusement now-a- days. But how the little tots can get about on them is a marvel to lockers on. It takes these little skaters but short time. however, to become quite skillful on them. They learn to do by doing. That is the experience of all, old as well as young Two of my small neighbors were learning to jump rope the other day, and their frantic efforts to succeed kept me looking at them for many minutes when my conscience told me I should be doing something else. How patiently they threw the rope over their heads, only to have 1t lie flat on the walk before them. Then they jumped over it. and tried again. They could not trust at the same time. Perseverance will work wonders, nevertheless, so with out doubt, they will soon find them selves experts, and fully expect to see them skipping along the walk, be- fore the season is over.
 What are the boys doing meantime? Bicycles instead of go-carts take their attention. Balls, tops and marbles have their chance. Has the boy a liking for tools? Now is his time to use them and build the bird house which will have happy tenant before iong. Fortunate is the boy who knows how to make his hands useful. Per. haps he helps to rake the lawn. or prepares a garden for himself to be cultivated later Possibly he IS inter- ested in experiments of the sort that lead him to telephone or wireless , communication with his neighbor across the fields. Seldom does a day pass that these boys do not run races around the block.
 The children are not the only ones to have an Easter vacation. It favors the teachers as well. Many of these take the time for much needed rest after the winters work, and the larg CT cities afford the attraction of change and recreation desired by oth- CTS So they scatter hither and yon to whatever most beguiles them. Then there are the house and home helpers, who think the spring cleaning must all be accomplished in this one week, or all the spring wardrobe provided. If they will allow an observer to ex- press an opinion, they remind me of certain old parable, for at the begin ming of the coming term of school, they will find themselves with empty lamps, and their supply of oil ex- hausted.
 Physical strength and nerve will fail them as the closing of the school year makes extra demands upon them, and even the mother, whom they desired to befriend, will be better please in the end, if the daughter keeps herself in good trim for her school work. From many years observation the Idler feels qualified to advise, but she does not expect to find many in clined to follow her advice implicitly. Y ears ago Austin Dobson made twelve good rules for winter, all beginning with never" The last one Is applica- ble to most of us who advise others. Never ask if the writer of these rules has obeyed them himself
 We call this the Easter vacation. To listen to the merchants, and read their dvertiSementS, one would think an Easter offering meant only a gift of finery for ones own person. Where does the self-denial and self-subjec- ton of Lent find place? Few words