PARENTAL IMPRESSIONS.

West Coast Times, Issue 4438, 13 October 1883, Page 5 (Supplement)

Mr and Mrs N.. manied twenty eight years, have eleven cbildreu, nine on earth, and two In heaven. Mr N. is an honorable man among men, but loud and domineering in bis "family. MrsN. is refined graceful and sweet with hir children and friends, but shrinking and awkward n the presence of her husband. She is one of the most timid of those wives who dare not say their sou's are their own. She is a devoted Christian, and findi much comfoit in her Bib'e Htr bu-bind is religious, too, butia ftreaks. He is mt interesied ia the sermon on the M.ount, but clings to the passages which insu'eate the obed enc : of wives. He reads wi h approval the verse ending, " and he shall rule over tbee.l' He likes that so 1 1 of thing. It is clear and distiict while to him the sermon on the (Wcuit is filled with glifcie ing generalities. He saysycu cin'c te!l just how to apply it, but tnat " Wive-", su mit yourselves unto your own husbar.ds, as unto the Lord," is clear, Mr and Mis N. never quarrel; they are one in everythir-g anl he is the one. There ia a popuUr recognitim of a law in the sayia» that all distinguish d men gut their talent from their mothers ; thai no great man hascone of a weak mothtr. We may as-utne that the pa ents contiibute equally, at fust, to their offspring ; but from ttjut moment, their father's direct i'.fluenoe ceiues, while the mother goes on 1 early three hundred dayi and nigh s, every moment impre-'si ig her phy;ical, mt-n'.al, and moral conJ tim jpin ber cuid, n"!; iucidentaily, but directly a 1 d overwhelming. It woul I not be difficult io fill a vo'nme wtb. illustrations of t'^.e tran?mi>i-i m of ourag'. from iLO her to ciiild. Tt.e case ot tLe family i>< sufficiently impressive. Mis xnT. b. gtm mar ieJ life with courage. The rn)ttKT had warned her that Mr N might pr ye a tyrant, anl be bad resolv.d to miintau her grists. At fiist m.c was partul y .-uccessiU'. a. id for tio vt tbree yeirs was a good dtal under tbe domirut'on of arous d c urage and dtte m oa'ion. The olde-it chiid, a daujtrer, is rem rbable "or f.^ce. She is lively to accomp is'i m >re in it'e than all her six brothers She is -traugely unlike the other children. The last three, all sons, are im J and sh. inking t? a p iuful degree. It is safe to predct that 'h-y will accooippsu noli g. How is it pjssible. wbe) itae moth? 1 .■> iiantly ltupret-s.d upon every aom 1 beinii to' rhree huidred da)M an ni h her cowed and fhtinkiuir conditi in. h vriit p issible tnet tbey should iscap^ and come into life brave J* In a•" ce-y Aiae in thes; vital laws, Mr N. would be j>.ono inced a fi: subpet for an idiot asylum. Mr N. is saving money for bin children, that thf y miy have a good stnr* in life. A. thousand fold more would he add to their success and happiness if he would let them receive, both before and after birth, the spirit of a free strong mother. A cowed and cringing mother, ever with her children, giving them their first and deepest impressions, will constantly exhibit a weakness and subterfuge which to her children, must prove wretchedly demoralizing. If they are to grow up honest, brave, and strong, their first teacher must be honest, brave and strong, It makes one dizzy to think what human progress would be, under a self-reliant, courageous, independent motherhood. — Dio Lewis.