it quick and be quiet, for I hear Tom coming. Mind you mustn't tell him what you have had. Child (as Tom enters): I've got a piece of cake and you can't have any. Tom.-But I can; can't I, mother? Give me a piece like that. Mother. It seems to me that it's no use to try and keep a bit of anything in this house. There, take that and be quiet. You see if I give you a bit another time to worry me. Child.-Won't you, though? I'll bawl till you do, that's all. Is it any wonder that disorder and misery reign where such weakness is shown by the mother under such circumstances? Mothers learn to rule well, and only well, both by precept and example. Every household must have a head, and you are strictly entitled to that position, and the sooner your children know it the better for you all. III. Love. There are two ways of governing a family: the first is by FORCE; the second is by LovE. Any father or mother who attempts to govern the home by force deserves to lose their empire, and will be sure to fail in the long run. Love is the golden chain which binds a family together. It always increases their joys, and helps to lighten their cares. Solomon well says, "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith." You can be loving yet firm, gentle but resolute, in carrying out your own views. Remember, ye mothers, that you are moulding the characters, and fixing the destiny of your children. See to it that when you refuse, you refuse finally, and when you consent, you consent cheerfully. It has been sweetly said"A mother's love is never cold, A mother's love is never old, A mother's love is nine times new." Rely upon it that in proportion as this gentle yet powerful influence reigns in your home, and influences. you in the training of the children, you will succeed. A mother's love for her children, when under proper influence, is the noblest and purest illustration of goodness we can conceive. How it has raised her character, nerved her resolution, and fixed her purpose! What wonders it has wrought, what sacrifices it has prompted! Speaking of this Jean Paul Richter truly observes, "The noblest and faires quality with which Nature could and must furnish woman for the benefit of posterity was love the most ardent, ye without return, and for an object unlike herself. The chil receives love, and kisses, and night watchings, but at first it only answers with rebuffs; and the weak creature which requires most pays least. But the mother gives unceasingly-yea, her love only becomes greater with the necessity and thankfulness of the recipient, and she feels the greatest for the most feeble, as the father for the strongest child." No doubt it was this kind of love which prompted Mrs. Wesley to act so wisely and well in the training of her children. She seems to have been able to regulate even their crying with as much ease as either the sleep or food. Her rule was, then, when a child reached its first anniversary that it should be "taught to fear the rod, and to cry softly, and the result was success." Make your home bright and attractive to your children. Many a boy and girl goes astray, not because they have no home, but because the home lacks brightness, or, in other words," sunshine." Children need smiles as much as flowers need sunbeams. It is warmth which leads to growth and beauty in our gardens, and it is equally needful in the home. A moonlight night never imparts the glow which a sunny day gives to all around. In like manner a home where faces are dull and sour, words are harsh, and fault-finding is a constant thing, will never prove attractive to the children, but will of necessity lead them to seek their happiness elsewhere. Let it be a constant study therefore with you, to remove out of the way everything which will hinder constant sunshine from resting upon your home, so that the children may feel sure that, however dark it may be outside, it will be bright within. "Mother" is one of those mirror-like works, like "Home," because of its fine capacity to receive and reflect happy impressions. In it we instinctively see the picture of many faces, father, brother, and sisters-the image of a bright fireside; of a clean-spread table; of beds comfortable and cosy, and everything else which true love can provide and beautify. But above and beyond all we seem to see the one face out of a hundred others, with a charm unlike every other charm, looking down upon us in our little bed, and watching our every movement, its wise, patient, loving eyes stretching to catch the first gleam of recognition. Oh, who shall sound the depths of a true mother's love? Who shall tell the lengths of its outgoings, the warmth of its embrace, or the long-suffering of its yearnings? None, for "The mother's love-there's none so pure, So constant, and so kind, IV. Diligence. A thoughtful writer in Hints on the Formation of Character says, "The habits of children prove that occupation is of necessity with most of them. They love to be busy, even about nothing, still more to be usefully employed. With some children it is a strongly-developed physical necessity, and if not turned to a good account will be productive of positive evil, thus verifying the old adage, that Idleness is the mother of mischief.' Children should be encouraged, or if indolently disinclined to it should be disciplined into performing for themselves every little office relative to the toilet which they are capable of performing. They should also keep their own clothes and other possessions in neat order, and fetch for themselves whatever they want-in short, they should learn to be as independent of the service of others as possible, fitting them alike to make a good use of prosperity and to meet with fortitude any reverse of fortune that may befall them. I know of no rank ̧ however exalted, in which such a system would not prove beneficial." Or, as another also well remarks, "If you wish to preserve the health of your children, feed them fully, work them progressively, educate them judiciously, instruct them carefully as to the future. Remember the child will become a boy, the boy a lad, the lad a man, and act accordingly." Among the quaint sayings which convey to the mind a good homely lesson is the one which says, "Patience, perseverance, and sweet oil will take a snail to Jerusalem." Let this be your motto, and you will find how many things can be done, and how many difficulties can be overcome, when these three are harnessed well together. Indeed, the wonder is that they are not more used than they are, when we consider what can be performed by their joint aid. Every parent should try to keep a stock of these on hand for any emergency which may occur, and if every mother would do so she would never talk of her trials, like George Cooper speaks of one in the following words: "I'm almost tired of living, I really do declare: There's no one knows the troubles That we poor mothers share! It's get up in the morning And slave, and slave, and slave; Do sit up straight, Rebecca, "Why, there's no end of sewing "When washing-day is over |