t the inhumanity of one who, as things
are to-day, should propose the substitution of pricking or cutting or
burning for whipping? It would, however, be easy to show that small jabs or
pricks or cuts are more human than the blows many children receive. Why may
not lying be as legitimately cured by blisters made with hot coals as by
black and blue spots made with a ruler or whip? The principle is the same;
and if the principle is right, why not multiply methods?

6. How many loving mothers will, without any thought of cruelty, inflict
half a dozen quick blows on the little hand of her child, and when she
could no more take a pin and make {397} the same number of thrusts into the
tender flesh, than she could bind the baby on a rack. Yet the pin-thrust
would hurt far less, and would probably make a deeper impression on the
child's mind.

[Illustration]

7. We do not intend to be understood that a child must have everything that
it desires and every whim and wish to receive special recognition by the
parents. Children can soon be made to understand the necessity of
obedience, and punishment can easily be brought about by teaching them
self-denial. Deny them the use of a certain plaything, deny {398} them the
privilege of visiting certain of their little friends, deny them the
privilege of the table, etc., and these self-denials can be applied
according to the age and condition of the child, with firmness and without
any yielding. Children will soon learn obedience if they see the parents
are sincere. Lessons of home government can be learned by the children at
home as well as they can learn lessons at school.

8. The trouble is, many parents need more government, more training and
more discipline than the little ones under their control.

9. Scores of times during the day a child is told in a short, authoritative
way to do or not to do certain little things, which we ask at the hands of
elder persons as favors. When we speak to an elder person, we say, would
you be so kind as to close the door, when the same person making the
request of a child will say, "_Shut the door._" "_Bring me the chair._"
"_Stop that noise._" "_Sit down there._" Whereas, if the same kindness was
used towards the child it would soon learn to imitate the example.

10. On the other hand, let a child ask for anything without saying
"please," receive anything without saying "thank you," it suffers a rebuke
and a look of scorn at once. Often a child