The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-07-11

said Mrs. Smith. what rscIpe did
you use7''
lust common-sense,w said Anna
proudly. II don't take much stock
in rules"
The next SATURDAY another kind
Of cake. through Anna's same
common-sense, reached a hard
and premature old age BY too
long and too hot baking. She
said It hadn't '.jelled" right in
the oven because she had forgot
ten something. So she applied
heat to compensate for the blum
der. lied
ut is never right to cook by
guess work." her mistress told
her. 1T works sometimes, but
usually It doesn't. Part Of ali
common-sense is to be ready to!
listen and to learn"
Mrs. Smith took sally and
went to see q new neighbor.
There was a little girl Sally's age
and she wanted them to be
friends.
The two mothers sat on the
porch while the children played
on the lawn. Soon there was a.
howl. and Tippy the poodle shot
for the porch.
The "Natural" Child
what was the matter, dear?"
asked Mrs. Jones mildly. "What
did he do?"
HE was mussing my doll bed,
so I tramped on his foot"
Sally had followed the little
dog, tears in her eyes, and was
patting him. "Poor doggie, you
were only playing, weren't you?
And you didn't do anything at
ALL" she whispered under her
breath; but Mrs. Jones had
heard.
sally Is very candid, isn't she?"
she remarked with little twist
Of her mouth. "And overly sensi-
tive. I am raising Isabel to be nat
ural. And to have manners" she
added, a bit crisply.
Mrs.. Smith did not want to
pursue the subject. Eventually 1t
was dropped and the girls resumed
their play. But Isabel's sash be-
came united and her mother called
her. /
mo, don't want It tied" The
child jerked 1t off ana threw 1t
on the grass. Sally picked 1t up
and carried 1t over to the porch.
''It might get dirty" she said.
We're running all around"
Dear me, what a nice little
lady you have" smiled Mrs.
Jones very sweetly. And then the
inevitable happened. She turned
the talk to child handling in earn
est. I hear you are engrossed in
the subject" she began. "And
read all you can get your hands
on about raising children"
Wrong Ideas Changed
my, no. I have read one or
two books because they were SO
interesting, and went to q couple
Of lectures. am glad now be-
cause I got q general insight into
child life that helped me to un-
derstand Sally better. But I don't
go by rule too much. No mother
can. I just changed some wrong
ideas had, that's all"
"Well, I just use common
sense" said Mrs. Jones belliger-
emily. '.I know more about my
own child than all the specialists
could ever know. Anyway, don't
they say to let q child do as she
pleases?"
"Quite the other way" an
swered the visitor. "Of course,
they suggest using interest as q
hook to hang discipline on, and
for training to better things. It
sounds very sensible when you
hear it. But really, Mrs. Jones,
I am not a psychiatrist. I'm only
a. mother trying to do what
think is best. There is nothing
unnatural or bookish in Sally's
life"
"Common-sense is good enough
for me-" retorted the other. Elsa,
bel, don't you dare break down
that vine or I'll put you in the
dark closet" Isabel stuck out
her tongue. That's my method"
explained Mrs. Jones proudly.
"Just sense and firmness."
| Copyright 1895 NEA Service, Incl