The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-03-09
MARION BROWNFIELD

Betty, aged eleven, was in the
kitchen washing the dinner dishes
while her father and some relatives
were visiting in the breakfast room
adjoining. Betty often "did" the dish
es alone. She now proceeded method
ically to stack them as she had been
taught to do. Then she prepared the
sospy dishwater and placed second
pan to rinse the dishes in. All the
time, however, one ear was straylng
toward the pleasant conversation near
by. Mother was across the hall put
ting the last stitches on dress Betty
was to wear on the morrow, and the
little girl was dawdling in order to en-
Joy the chat Daddy was having with
the company"
Suddenly, Betty breather a pro-
longer, ooh"
Daddy's head appeared in the kitch
en- doorway. "Break something?" he
inquired
"The hot water did," explained
Betty replacing tea kettle of hot
water on the stove.
The guests in the breakfast room
smiled at the explanation. But Betty
braveIy held up a cracked tumbler.
"Too bad," said Daddy sympa-
thetically.
"I'd better go and tell Mother"
Betty marched gravely out of the
kitchen.
"I'd give anything if my boy,
George, would own up when some
thing like that happens" remarked
Cousin Harriet. 81 scoId him and scold
him, but it doesn't seem to make any
impression"
"H'm,' said her husband, "it makes
him afraid to confess
Betty, back in the kitchen, APP
preached the breakfast room door,
holding the cracked tumbler. She
smiled at her father. "Mother says
must be sure to have the rinsing
water cool enough to put my finger in.
But she says not to worry about this
particular glass, because it was a
cheap one" Betty resumed her dish
washing humming softly to herself.
"Wcll, it's a sort of habit, | think"
her father said in an undcrtone to his
relatives, "this Tossing up, but Betty's
mother never makes it hard for a child
to tell her anything. She says conf
dence is the one thing she wants from
the children And we find that they
themselves are as regrettful over a
mistake or an accident as we are. We
Simply talk it over and sometimes, not
too often, use it as a basis for future
reminder to avoid repetition.
"When we gave Ted his new bicycle
! told him to be careful where he
parked it-not to leave it long in un-
familiar surroundings. He was pretty
careful the first month Then he for
got one day and left his wheel in a
vacant lot down near the railroad
tracks, while he pitched an impromptu
ball game"
"And it was stolen" inquired
Cousin Harriet.
"No; when he went for it, apparent
~ it was all right. Then he discov-
cred about half a dozen of the parts
were gone!
"Well," said Cousin Ilarrict's hus-
band, 81 expect he didn't relish tell
ing you"
"No," said Tcd's father with a
laugh, che didn't. He commenced,
though, by saying, you were right
Dad, about my bike"
"lt's expensive" complained Cousin
Harriet, "the things these youngsters
do; would whip George if he dis
obeyed me ike that"
Tcd's father shook his head. "That's
out Of date, Harriet. ! said to Ted,
What happened, Son" He then told
me just what had happened and what
was missing. Well, | told him it was
his job to earn back those missing
parts.
"I've been thinking it over, Dad,
he said, so asked Mrs Clark, down
the street if | could NOW her lawn,
and she said she would like to have
her car cleaned. It'll be every two
weeks, Dad""
"To have to work for something,
like that, will make a man Of him."
approved Cousin Harriet's husband.
"We must go.' Cousin Harriet arose.
Betty hurried from the kitchen and
soon returned. "Mother wants you to
see my new drcss!" she said
Cousin Harriet looked around the
kitchen. 1t was unmistakably i'm or
der. "Your wife must take lot of
time and trouble training the child
rem She sighed.
Betty's father hesitated. How much
dared he say? "Wcll, AN ounce Of pre-
vention-'" he vcnturcd. Gut after
all, children are pcople--they arc sci
dom intentional miscrcantS-that is if
you treat them as if you expected
them to be responsible--if you-wcll
take it for granted, you know"