OUR HOMES. 



Dec 



liusbaiKl would do much tlie same? Aud is 

 tliat man now, fettered, or free, compared with 

 his former condition V 



I wish to narrate one more circumstance 

 that occurred in this household shortly after. 

 This individual had been in the habit of en- 

 forcing obedience in his family with the ut- 

 most »':verity, aud as the children inherited a 

 disposition much like his own, each one of the 

 little ones sooner or later, liad to have a regu- 

 lar "breaking" of their stubborn wills; all 

 A'ei'3' proper and correct, had he onlj' adminis- 

 tered the correction in n spirit of kindness and 

 with an entire absence of temper or iri'itation 

 of any kind. As the disposition of his wife 

 was one of those which in childhood seldom 

 if ever needed correction, she learned to 

 fear a collision between him and the children, 

 and it may be on that account screened them 

 jierhaps at times when they really needed 

 punishment. At the time of which we are 

 writing, an untamed two-year-old had been 

 for some time getting daily more and more 

 headstrong, in her independent way of ordering 

 the different membei'S of the household about, 

 and he had been feeling that his duty as a pa- 

 rent demanded that her spirit l)e — not broken, 

 but guided into a proper and healthful chan- 

 nel. Finally in her mother's absence, she one 

 day demanded something that it was not prop- 

 er tor her to have, ami he, not knowing the ex- 

 tent to which she had been indulged to keep 

 peace, took her by the hand and told her gent- 

 ly that she must obey. This only produced 

 struggles and screams, aud lie was obliged to 

 take her by main strength into an apartment 

 by herself, and even then she manifested her 

 defiance of his authority by persisting in the 

 A^ery acts that had been forbidden. Punish- 

 ment seemed to have no effect, but what 

 would be the result of allowing her to think 

 herself cou({aeror V He talked long and earn- 

 estly with her, and linally told her that he 

 must punish her until she would submit; this 

 he did, and she at length put her little hand in 

 his, antl promised to submit to his authority 

 for all time to come. In less than a half hour 

 the two, with kind aud pleasant feelings to- 

 ward each other, went in quest of "mamma." 

 All passed pleasantly until evening; when 

 the child was undressed it was discovered 

 that the severity of her punishment was such 

 that her tender tlesh was blistered. The moth- 

 er jn'otested that such punislunent Avas ncA'cr 

 called for, that she Avould never consent to it, 

 and that she should feel it a duty to keep the 

 delinquencies of the children hidden from the 

 father so long as he persisted in such extreme 

 views of family government. Talking the mat- 

 ter over did no good; the parents clearly could 

 not agree. Our friend, after a little reflection, 

 decided that such a state of affairs was not to 

 ])e thought of for an instant, and as the only 

 alternative, gave up and promised hisAvifc that 

 he Avould i)nnish no more Avithbut her lull con- 

 sent and api)roval, and to be sure to get on a 

 safe and true ground, they both knelt and ask- 

 ed their Heavenly Father to guide them in the 

 care of the little "treasures that he had entrust- 

 ed to their keeping. Do you Avonder that at 

 this crisis her hand stole into his as in years 

 gone by, Avith the remark that so long as he 

 looked to such a source for guidance, she 



Avould never again doubt his judgment, and 

 that if it nearly killed her, she Avould, Avith all 

 her power, teach that papa Avas right, and al- 

 Avaj's knew best V Do you see how the fetters 

 have fallen, and how each member, from papa 

 to the little one, begins to feel the freedom 

 that comes from perfect obedience V Of course 

 the rebellious mood Avill come again now ami 

 then, but a single look from papa reminds her 

 of the promise that even in her little heart is 

 held sacred, and I need hardly say that a clos- 

 er friendsliip now binds the two than ever ex- 

 isted before. 



And the rain descended, and the floods came, and 

 the winds blew, aud beat upon that house; and it leli 

 not ; tor it was founded on a i-ocli.— Mat. vii, 25. 



CHAPTER IV 



"As the twig is bent the tree is inclined." 



"Take care! don't touch it, it will bite," 

 said a lady to her child Avho had approached 

 a pretty floAver in a neighbor's front yard, prob- 

 ably Avith the intention of picking it. Of 

 course no child wishes to be bitten by any of 

 the wonderful things that it runs across, and 

 starting in affright it left the llower. What an 

 economical plan of getting along Avith child- 

 ren that are in the least disposed to be unruly ! 

 Again, a young mother Avas visiting Avith a 

 wee, little one, who took a great fancy to a col- 

 lection of curious buttons, and Avhen it was 

 time to go, the bag Avas hugged up tightlj'- in 

 her little arms in a Avay that spoke as plainly 

 of her intentions, as if she had been old enough 

 to say it m Avords. The young mother took in 

 the condition of affairs at once, aud with rare- 

 tact opened her basket and induced the little" 

 one to deposit hsr treasure therein, giving her 

 a fair promise that it should be taken home. 

 With all a child's full confidence the bag Avas 

 handed over at once, while the skilful mother 

 slipped it in and then out so adroitly that the 

 little one trudged along in blissful ignorance 

 of the fraud that had becu iK-rpetrated on her 

 confiding little nature. 



About fifteen years ago a mother told her 

 boy baby that unless he stopped crying she 

 Avould throAV him oul in the street and let the 

 "black man" get him. Within a fcAV days I 

 haA'e been told that this same boy had deceived 

 his mother for nearly aAvhole year in regard to 

 his habit of using tobacco. O ye mothers, 

 how can j'ou find it in your hearts to deceive 

 these little ones who look up to you for an ex- 

 ample, Avith such pleading, innocent eyes? 

 Can you wonder, or blame your children for 

 learning at an early age to prevaricate and de- 

 ceive their parents in turn, Avhen any particu- 

 arly selfish end is to be gained thereby ? 



"When you have grown up and have child- 

 ren of your oAvn," said the lady last mention- 

 ed, "you Avill find that you Avill be glad to get 

 along with them the easiest Avay you can." 



Just exactly, and noAV if you Avill excuse 

 the liberty, I Avill suggest what I think the 

 rery easiest Avay to "get along" Avith children. 

 We are not toVait until the child is of a cer- 

 tain age, for it to become capable of receiving 

 lessons of obedience, but to bear in mind that 

 as soon as the little one is old enough to rec- 

 ognize its parents by that responsive smile, it 

 has begun to take its first lessons; aud now 



