64 



GLEANINGS INJBEEICULTURE. 



Jan. 15. 



could go for an orchard and a ten-acre lot back 

 of the house. When brought back she would 

 cry, and thus spoil all the pleasure of the morn- 

 ing walk. It was finally agreed that she be 

 allowed the desired freedom while we watched 

 her unobserved. She started as usual for the 

 orchard, trudging on as fast as she could go 

 toward liberty and the vast unknown. Her 

 happiness was complete till she happened to 

 look back from just below a little hill and found 

 herself out of sight of the house. Surprised, 

 bewildered, and homesick, she gave a pitiful 

 little cry of " Mamma!" and was very well con- 

 tent to be led back lo the bondage that meant 

 love and safety. It seems to me that there is a 

 suggestion here for the treatment of older 

 children. Let the boy or girl who has reached 

 the restless period of life take short flights out 

 into the unknown world, giving him a chance 

 to test his own powers and exercise his own 

 judgment; he will come back all right, with an 

 added love and appreciation for home. I like 

 the way Aunt -Joe mapaged the tiery Dan in 

 "Aunt joe's Boys." 



You remember, no doubt, how the immortal 

 George Washington rode his father's colt to 

 death, which was bad for the colt, but better 

 for George than going to sea, as he at first pro- 

 posed doing. I often wish that boys in their 

 teens could be set to breaking colts. It would 

 furnish the muscular activity and mental ex- 

 citement so much needed at this period of life, 

 and give an opportunity to work oS surplus 

 energy and pent up steam. But if he can ride 

 nothing else, do ^<^^ him ride his hobby, if he 

 has one. 



I was reading tne otner day or a mother who 

 said she did not worry about John or Henry, 

 but she did feel uneasy about Willie, because 

 he had no hobby. She said if either of the oth- 

 er boys had a leisure hour or holiday they 

 always knew just what to do with it; but Wil- 

 lie was always at the mercy of whatever hap- 

 pened to come along. So, do not discourage 

 hobbies, even if there is some little expense 

 connected with them that to you seems foolish. 

 Better spend on chemicals, postage-stamps, or 

 tools, than upon cigarettes and trashy litprature. 



Seek to give the child a chance to do the right 

 thing from choice; then if he fails, let him suf- 

 fer the natural consequences and thus early 

 learn the lesson of cause and effect. Let him 

 see and feel in all this that he has your sym- 

 pathy and love, but do not be weak enough to 

 step in to shield him from the consequences of 

 his own deliberate wrong-doing. 



A little child in school one day was given 

 with the others a piece of colored paper to fold 

 and paste. Failing to follow the teacher's di- 

 rections, his paper was torn and spoiled. He 

 immediately informed the teacher that his 

 paper was spoiled, expecting to receive more. 

 He was met with no reprimand for his careless- 

 ness, but only " I am sorry you have spoiled the 

 paper I gave you." How could he more easily 

 or with less cost and pain learn this life-lesson 

 of care in the right useof gift? and possessions? 



And now before closing I want to say just a 

 few words about the strong willed child that is 

 so often such a dread to parents and teachers 

 because so hard to control. These are the 

 children most likely to be misunderstood and 

 wrongly dealt with — made of the finest mate- 

 rial, requiring the greatest care and skill, but, 

 like the hardest wood, dllificult to manage, but 

 strong, firm, and true, and most valuable. 

 Really it is th^ amiable, docile child that should 

 cause you the most anxiety, not the strong- 

 willed child. The world needs people to-day 

 and every day who are strong-willed enough to 

 carry through discouraging reforms and all 

 worthy undertakings. It is the rushing, plung- 



ing stream that has force to carry the sediment 

 and refuse to the sea, to turn the mill, and to 

 flow steadily on through the drouth of summer 

 and the chilling winds of winter. Never think 

 for a moment of breaking such a child's will; 

 seek only to guide and direct it. Avoid as 

 much as possible the arousing of a child's self- 

 will or obstinacy. Make only reasonable de- 

 mands, and always in a pleasant, courteous 

 manner. Avoid direct commands, as requests 

 should carry the same force, and are less likely 

 to antagonize. Then if a child disregards your 

 request you can often leave him the choice 

 between two alternatives; as, be quiet or leave 

 the table. Say "please," or go without the 

 desired object. 



How much may be accomplished by tact is 

 well illustrated by an incident given in The 

 New Crusncle. of a child visiting her aunt. On 

 the first day after the little girl's arrival, as 

 she was playing out of doors in the early eve- 

 ning her aunt tapped on the window-pane and 

 said pleasantly, "It is bedtime now. I want 

 you to come in." The little girl faced her, and 

 said, " Do you think I've got to come in because 

 yoM say so? Huh! I won't do it." Her aunt 

 tranquilly resumed her work, taking no further 

 nfitice of the child. Gracie evidently looked 

 for a show of indignation when she came in 

 between nine and ten; but no notice was taken 

 of her, and she went to bed flushed with victory. 

 But the next night, immediately after tea, her 

 aunt took her up to bed, saying kindly that she 

 would be glad to let her play for an hour first, 

 but she could not trust her to come in when she 

 called her. The little girl looked thoughtful; 

 but as soon as her aunt left she dressed herself 

 again, went down to the yard, and was soon 

 sporting about as wildly as ever. No attention 

 was paid to her when she came in; but the 

 next evening after tea she was again taken up 

 to bed, and the door was locked. "If you lock 

 me in." she exclaimed, " I'll tear the sheets and 

 pillow-cases all to strips." 



"Oh! just as you like as to that; only, of 

 course, you'll have the same things on your bed 

 to morrow night, as I can't afford to have more 

 than one sot spoiled." 



"Well. I can't bear to be left alone," said 

 Gracie, beginning to cry in earnest. 



"I ought to have thought of that," said her 

 aunt. " Of course, then, I'll stay with you." 



Then she talked to the child. She told her 

 what a grand thing it was to have such a will. 

 It is like riding a spirited horse that is carrying 

 you fast in the right direction, but that an un- 

 controllable will is of no more use than a run- 

 away steed. Instead of giving her the " good 

 scolding " which most mothers would say she 

 richly deserved, this sensible woman told her 

 stories of strong willed girls who, in the face of 

 terrible odds, had earned a living for poor and 

 disease stricken parents, or achieved an educa- 

 tion for themselves, or starred some reform for 

 others which they had victoriously carried 

 through. "That's the sort of girl you will be, 

 Gracie," she exclaimed. "A little girl like you 

 must amount to something, either good or bad; 

 and I say it will be good." 



"I say it will be good too," exclaimed the 

 sturdy little soul, sitting up in bed, and casting 

 her arms about her aunt's neck. "I will try, 

 Auntie; you'll see." 



Such incidents as this make one feel that 

 there is no case so difficult that might not be 

 reached if we were only wise and true enough 

 to touch the right spring of action. To this 

 end and for this purpose we need to study child 

 nature in general and each child in particular 

 for the laws that govern action, for there are 

 laws. Child -training is not a hit-and-miss 

 work. The laws of cause and effect hold good 



