Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1919-04-19
BUDDING GENIUS

my children are SO temperament |
tall" sighed the lank woman i'll the |
green draperieS in a satisfied sort of !
woe. You can't imagine what it /
means, nor the stress in which | live. |
"Oh, yes. l can" declared the ener |,
getic woman, stitching away for dear !
life. 4 know precisely what you have |!
reference to. Mrs. Pinlloank. And it is |
indeed terrible. [ often consider how |
peaceful my life might be if my two
boys were just ordinary humdrum
boys with no ina ginatIon and not an
ounce of temperament in their systems, |
because as things are | frequently
reach the point where the isles Of the
blest and twelve hours practice day
my harassed eyes.
And. too, it would have made
made things much EASIER if Reginald,
the younger, had been porn first in
stead of Henry being the older
brother. Occasionally you can bring
Henry to the point of actual reason
and sway his opinion, but it is differ
ent with Reginald No matter how
convinced he may be in the depth of
his soul his love for argument and
leadership restraints him from any
yes dear mother attitude and he
lives in state of constant warfare
with life as he has founT It.
My worst trial is when I am oblig-
| ed to go out and leave the two
at home alone together. If they were
! children of no temperament, it would
! be entirely simple. because | would
merely say to them that | was going
out and they We're to behave and be
good children, and I could be gone
| hours and return knowing nothing
/ worse had happened than that they
| had beaten one another up and smash
ed a vase Or broken the fern. As it
is l am obliged to go through elabor
! ate preparatory sessions which are
very wearing. First | take Henry
aside.
J "'Now. Henry I 7ay. Tn leaving
YOU in charge of Reginald. And do
remember one thing-you can lead
Reginald, but you cannot drive him.
Don't make the mistake of ordering
him around. Just be pleasant and
kind
"Gee. mother.' Henry interrupts,
with panied expression. how uh
I going to be kind and pleasant to a
child who is yankins your hair out by
the roots? And must stop to be
, pleasant and kind when he starts to
throw a golf ball through a mirror, OF
just stop him in tire? That child
needs a firm hand, and I'm gonna give
it to him
"'No, no. Henry 7 heseech. T dc
t not want to be PACED at a bridge party
: with the news that the police station
has moved over to my house anf
awaits further instructions. You can
be firm with ReGinald-you We got t.
guide him carefully instead Hell
mind if you go at him the right way
"'You leave him to me- says eide
, brother Henry darlly. and my hear
: sinks. I know. Henry's Temperament
! is starting to work Then l fly tt
: where Reginald is idly tying strings tt
to tho tail of his interests; pup dog.
: Reginald, dear I begin soothingly
e when 'she backs off suspiciously an(
~ instantly.
Its something I don't like he an
r nounces convincedly. Always whel
l. persons are going to tell you to d
something you hate they start "Regi
/, maid, dear I don't want to do it
= mother. Whatever it is. I don't wan
l. | To-
}, Reginald. I interrupt eagerly. 4
}, isn't a single thing. I just want you t.
go on playing this afternoon and bein'
!, a good boy as you are now. Only
I'm going out. and
"Heck! Reginald cries dfsgustedly
sitting down hard ana staring at me
| Have I got to stay with Henry? Or
heck, If I've getta have Henry hang
ing around, mother. you gust tell hir
e now that he isn't to be bossy. Youy
2 no idea how bossy Henry is when yo
n go away, and he stays mere trampin
: around and saying, you shan't do thi
: and you shant do thar. and every
| thing You tell him he's gotta leav
me alone, he has
III $50 said the energetic lady. sti
/. stitching furiously. II at last dash on
c of the house despairingly and trum
L my partners ace nine ,;mes running
4 ali because 1 am wondering whicl