Milford chronicle., 1925-03-13
IN PRIVATE
E. M. Megraw

E. M. MeSTdW
Eight of them sat at table and
each had a fling at Dickie- grand
parents and parents, sister and
brother-and their missiles, though
only of words, were sharp and
stinging and Dickie grew "madder'
every minute.
He seemed a tough little PROPOSE
tiOn, it is true. He had pitched
greedily into the feeding process
as soon as he had noisily and rude
ly taken possession of his chair.
Grandfather and Grandmother
looked frowingly at him. Their pro-
jectiles began with "In my day"
"Look at those hands!" big sister
demanded Of the company in gener-
al. I'D be afraid to eat the bread
they touched, but Dick seems to
eat the bread they touched, but
Dick seems to thrive on a germ
diet"
Big brothers ammunition requir-
ed big gun. He raised his voice for
the mention of some perfectly aw-
ful' thing Dickie had done that day,
and Dickie's shortcomings, which
were generally very short indeed,
were resurrected and hammered at
one after another.
Father looked as a South Sea
Islander as he said, "I'll tend to
you later"
Mother wound up by saying, 'I
can't do thing in the world with
him." her voice 1espairing plant.
There was no such ugly trouble
in the family near by, though it
included a boy of Dickie's age and
proclivities. For fault in the pres
ence Of the family, a quiet go to
your room, Tommy" from his
mother was sufficient.
It was true that one might have
thought Thomas had been shod by
the blacksmith judging by the
noise he made climbing the steps |
but he obeyed. One cannot expect !
i'll temper to be wiped out magic
ally, only that it be treated sens |
IDLY and considerably, regard for
the child's future regulating word |
and action.
Dickie's mother visiting Tommy's |
mother on one of these occasions, |
appreciated the even flow of cheer
full conversation that continued |
uninterrupted by Tommy's detection.
1t was so different from the gener-
al squabble in her own home that |
followed misbehaYior by Dickie.
and her son had dashed |
out of doors to his play, the less
mother put her plea:
please tell me how you Settle
things so easily. I can't do any
thing with Dickie. believe he
takes a pride in his successful
Il make it rule never t6 correct
Tommy in the presence of others"
her friend answered qdietIy. "No-
&c that tree" she Continued,
pointing through the window to a
line, straight little beahty "a few
months after it was planted it be-
gan to lean. set the gardener to
To'k. lie Grove a sttong stake. the
.op pointing as iireetly to the sky
Is, If a plummet kad b-r1 hung as
guide from the cloud above it, and
o 1t he fastened the young grow
ng Ihlng. Not with flimsy strings
NAT would break in day - as in
as intermittent discipline
lor did he Pull it violently into
'lace allowing others to join in the
ough treatment. No, alone he
led 1t with strong bands neither
larsh nor, confining, leaving it
oom to grow true to the guide, up-
lght. My dear, a mother NAV be
ne strength that will keen the
hlld growing straight, bound and
rotected by bands that will not
reak r. truth. affection. resnect
ne Child respects the mother who
noWS respect for. One of the ways
dping this is by recognizing his
ne I inviolable right - correction
l private"
with malice toward none. with
larity for all, with firmness in tbe
ght, as God gives us to see the
ght," these words of Abraham Lin
)ln have echoed and re-echoed
lroughout our land from the time
said them until now. We teach
lem in our schools to the children
the upper grades, but it is the
'lr1t Of those words, which. as a
'opIe, we need to learn and there
no time so good for this as early
1t is taught in the kinder
lrten. There, children learn fair
'ss, kindness, honesty and corr
'e. If there is no kindergarten for
g children Of your community. whv
u Try TO get one opened? The Ma
'nal Kindergarten Association. 8
est 4Oth Street, New York, will
ABLY aid you. Write for information