The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-15
- ONE one told me story the other day. This is 1t:
 small boy of had been prom ised that the next time his father

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 ised that the next time his father
 and mother went for a drive he should be taken along. He heard the or der given for the horse and carriage and never doubting that he was to accompany them he made himself ready and ap- peared on the front steps as the buggy was brought to the door. His parents came out, climbed into the carriage. waved cheerful farewell to the child and drove off. They had entirely forgot ten their promise to him.
 The little fellow stood and watched them out of sight, swelling with disap- pointment and indignation. As the vehi- cle disappeared his suppressed feelings found utterance.
 There they go." he choked out. The two worst liars in this whole town! "
 Wasn't 1t funny?" said the friend who related the anecdote.
 I suppose 1t was, in a way" said slowly. But there Is a good deal about 1t that is tragic"
 For it is always tragedy when child's faith is shaken, whether in God or man and the parents stand pretty close to God in the childish estimation. That they should forget promise of any sort is an important matter to him.
 The incident reminded me of a wise say Ing of my mother's who was herself . wonderful disciplinarian. " It is not so much the severity as the certainty of punishment that impresses a child" she declared. My addition 10 this would Joe that 1t is not so much the importance as the certainty of any promise which car ries weight with children. When you break your word to one of them, either through forgetfuness or because you have thought better-or worse-of your pledge, you have changed his entire atti- tude toward you and the universe at large. If you can shatter your word, why should his be sacred? If you can trif1e with the truth and depart from strict reetitude, what is there to prevent his following the same course?
 We are in the habit of saying that chil- dren are not so innocent and simple as they seem. They keep up great deal of thinking of which we have no cognizance. This Is true, and they often sit in judg- oent on us when we least suspect 1t and go through processes of reasoning of nicn We would not believe them capable, At the same time their experience is so limited that they argue from the few facts at their command and make their deductions accordingly.
 For example. the small boy of whom the story was told could not imagine that his parents could consider a promise to take him for drive of so little moment that they could possibly forget it. To his mind they either did not want him along or had some plan which made his pres ence undesirable and so ignored their as- surance that he should go with them for the next drive. To his perceptions they had been guilty of breaking pledge and had therefore lied. He had been taught that the two were identical and so taught by those who now showed him that the conduct he had been told was criminal could be practiced by the two whom he had considered his highest ethical au- thority and standard.
 nave told the one tale to illustrate this; could give half dozen along the same line. We can all r.call hearing mothers saDsc Amly, " have changed my mind " Nts a sufficient explanation for not carry ing out some promised plan.
 But you told me l could go out" said little girl in my hearing the other day to the mother who had told her to put away her hat and coat. that she was to stay in for the afternoon.
 don't care to have you go today" was all the excuse vouchsafed by the mother and after the child had left the room. pouting and fretting and whining dolefully. But you promised. the parent said lightly:
 It looks so much like rain that didn't dare let Elise go. She takes cold easily"
 '' Why didn't you tell herthat ?' could not refrain from asking.
 Why should l? She ought to know that when l have changed my mind that settles it.
 l said no more. but felt the child had been wronged. l have strong ideas of discipline and I would not permit child to withhold obedience to a command until l had explained the why and wherefore, but when a promise is bestowed the giver ~ bound to keep it or to accord a sufficient reason for breaking it. If this special mother had explained to her little daugh- ter as she had to me that the change in the weather made it unsafe for her to venture out, the child would have lad her due and would not have cherished in her heart the sense of unjust treatment and of broken faith.
 Not only in carelessness as to the pledged word do children have the ex- ample of untruthfulness placed before them l have said that they often argue mistakenly from .the few facts in their shades of gray in their ethical equipment. ouiy white truth and black deceit
 -rererore. when a child hears his moth- CT groan in dismay when a card is brought ID and lament that here is bore of a woman who will take the entire after noon. and then within five minutes listens to the cordial greeting bestowed upon the visitor. the assurance of pleasure in see- ing her. of qualification at having been in for the call. he can hardly be blamed if his poor little brains are muddled and if