Life and Literature Part 20

Turning swiftly to the hall, the woman almost flew along the corridor to meet her husband's steps. Drawing him to one side, she told with rapture of her encounter and the sweet expectancy below.

"Now, Harold, Heaven has sent us a child, who shall be the angel to roll away the stone from our grave. His wonderful vision must not be darkened, neither his faith destroyed. Rise, my husband, to the most glorious hour of your life. 'I shall know him by the love,' he said. Let us see that he does."

Returning for the child and extending her hand with a smile, he eagerly asked, "Will you wash and comb me to meet my papa? It isn't too late yet, is it?"

The voice was half a sob, but full of hope. The ineffable trust pierced her heart while rea.s.suring him with swift, tender tones.

"Come, Phillip, we will go to him," she cried tremblingly.

As she opened the door upon a winning, n.o.ble-faced man with tears on his cheek, smiling with outstretched arms upon the boy, he hesitated a moment, took one step forward and then leaped into the open arms, threw his n.o.ble head back, and gazed with l.u.s.trous, questioning eyes.

"You don't look like my papa, quite."

"No?" (anxiously).

"'Cause you are changed. But I know you by the love, and you know me, don't you?"

"By the love, dear boy," with s.h.i.+ning eyes, but marble lips.

The child nestled down upon the breast, his chest heaving, while the man stroked the soft curls, soothing him with every word known to love's alphabet, till finally, crooning a cradle song, the exhausted child fell asleep. He had found a father by the love. His faith was saved, and by it, she who had groped blindly among the tombs had found her Easter.

--_From the Christian Observer_, March 30, 1904.

By Mrs. Helen Strong Thompson.

FOOTNOTES:

[256:A] _St. Luke, xxiv, 13._

257

Say "Yes" and "No" to a child and stick to it. This is the beginning of discipline.

258

The way to spoil a child is to give it all it wants and require nothing in return. The way to make a child grow up sensible and unselfish is to give it little, and require of it much. For it is not what others do for us that benefits us, but what we do for ourselves and others.

259

Some one truly said, the best way for a man to train up a child in the way it should go, is to travel that way sometimes himself.

260

_I Kings, i, 6_--"His father had not displeased him at any time in saying, 'Why hast thou done so?'"

A young man, as he was going to the place of execution, desired to whisper something into his mother's ear; but when she came, instead of whispering, he bit off her ear, telling her, that it was because she did not chastise him for his faults when a boy, he was brought to such an unhappy end.

261

Could it be believed that a child should be forced to learn the rudiments of a language which he is never to use, and neglect the writing a good hand, and casting accounts?

--_Locke._

262

Childhood shows the man, as morning shows the day.

--_Milton._

263

Children, a bond of union than which the human heart feels none more endearing.

264

What children hear at home soon flies abroad.

265

CHILDREN.

I never hear parents exclaim impatiently, "Children, you must not make so much noise," that I do not think how soon the time may come when, beside the vacant chair, those parents would give all the world, could they hear once more the ringing laughter which once so disturbed them.

--_A. E. Kittredge._

266

Children are certain cares, but uncertain comforts.

267

What is there in nature so dear to man as his own children?

--_Cicero._

268