Year: 1875

Children's Troubles


We have such large measure with
which to take up annoyances ana griefs,
that when We scoop into it the troubles
of children they seem very Insignificant.
To break kite-string or lose top or
have the head knocked off china doll
seems nothing to us, but the event Is
great to children. 1t is high time that
we learned that the trials Of the young
sters are as great to them as ours are to
us.


In the long catalogue of children's
woes leg-ache stands very prominent.
After running, racing, climbing and
jumping all day long, this is one of the
worst troubles. We remember it now,
the rolling and tossing to get asleep and
the half-cry of distress of which no one
but ourselves seemed to have any appre-
citation. All active children have the
leg-ache at night-fall. Blessed the moth
er whose entertaining story, or the stroke
of whose soft hand, silences, and soothes
and cures


Hunger is another of the boyhood and
girlhood distresses. There may be plen-
ty in the pantry, and yet the children
half the time starved Parents with the
capacity to swallow halfpound Of beef
steak, and the usual accomplishments, do
not understand why, mid-forenoon and
mid afternoon, children should be hum
CRY. 1t is cruel to keep little ones faint
and exhausted for lack of food because
the dining hour has not come. All the
doctors and dietarians to the contrary
Notwithstanding, whenever your children
are hungry, whether it be nine, ten, or
eleven A. NJ, or two, three, or four P. NJ,
give them something to eat.


One of the worst of childhood griefs
is subjection to bullies. They are to be
found in every school and on every
street; the boys who knock your hat
down over your eyes and chuck you
under the chin, calling you bub," and
steal your cap, and trip you up for the
fun of seeing you fall down, and dare
you to fight, you ten years, they four
teen. We have vivid remembrance of
one such bully, and our sufferings at his
hand, and we now declare, minister or
no minister, if we ever meet him again
he had better look out There is nothing
more exasperating to us than to see large
boys imposing on small ones. Let
schoolmasters give such young Herods
rattan in liberal measure. But alas for
the lads who have year after year to
submit to the ruffian impositions. To be
chased and pulled and mauled, and be
able to do nothing in return but bite
your lip and clinch your fist and wish
you were foot taller.


Going to school is among the hard
ships of children. The pills of knowl-
edge are not sugar coated, and school
houses are sometimes made attractive
with music and flowers and pictures and
teachers who understand and practice
the law of kindness. In such cases chill
dren are glad when the school. hour
comes. Not so with many not SO with
us in boyhood. We shiver to think Of
it. A mile and half through snow
banks, little crusted so that every 9th.
er step broke through, our big sister


pulling us along by the tippet, ears ting
ling with cold, feet half frozen, and all


for what we could then see no use in, and
learning to read and write and cipher
No cards with marks Of good behavior
no medals to hang around the neck


nothing on earth to encourage but going
, up to the head occasionally, and boz


on the ears if we missed, more frequent


ly. Our sympathies go out for all those


who, contrary to their wishes, are obliged
to go to school.


But we cannot enumerate the troubles
, of children. We suspect that they neec
, more rewards and fewer punishments
, more apples and less switch, more sym
pathy and less rod. While we consol,
, their mishaps they would unconsciously


relieve ours. If instead of standing 81
, much on our dignity, if we would ge
down on all fours and let our children
], get astride of US, imagining they wer'
e a horseback, probably some of our man
I hood troubles would fall off the minut
4 the youngsters got on.-Go Words.
t Parchment