CHAPTER III. A FEW MORE LESSONS

ytofulfilthethreatsandpromisesImadeand,tothatend,ImustbecautioustothreatenandpromisenothingthatIcouldnotperform.Then,Iwouldcarefullyrefrainfromalluselessirritabilityandindulgenceofmyownill-temper:whentheybehavedtolerably,Iwouldbeaskindandobligingasitwasinmypowertobe,inordertomakethewidestpossibledistinctionbetweengoodandbadconductIwouldreasonwiththem,too,inthesimplestandmosteffectivemanner.WhenIreprovedthem,orrefusedtogratifytheirwishes,afteraglaringfault,itshouldbemoreinsorrowthaninanger:theirlittlehymnsandprayersIwouldmakeplainandcleartotheirunderstandingwhentheysaidtheirprayersatnightandaskedpardonfortheiroffences,Iwouldremindthemofthesinsofthepastday,solemnly,butinperfectkindness,toavoidraisingaspiritofoppositionpenitentialhymnsshouldbesaidbythenaughty,cheerfulonesbythecomparativelygoodandeverykindofinstructionIwouldconveytothem,asmuchaspossible,byentertainingdiscourse—apparentlywithnootherobjectthantheirpresentamusementinview. BythesemeansIhopedintimebothtobenefitthechildrenandtogaintheapprobationoftheirparentsandalsotoconvincemyfriendsathomethatIwasnotsowantinginskillandprudenceastheysupposed.IknewthedifficultiesIhadtocontendwithweregreatbutIknew(atleastIbelieved)unremittingpatienceandperseverancecouldovercomethemandnightandmorningIimploredDivineassistancetothisend.Buteitherthechildrenweresoincorrigible,theparentssounreasonable,ormyselfsomistakeninmyviews,orsounabletocarrythemout,thatmybestintentionsandmoststrenuouseffortsseemedproductiveofnobetterresultthansporttothechildren,dissatisfactiontotheirparents,andtormenttomyself. Thetaskofinstructionwasasarduousforthebodyasthemind.Ihadtorunaftermypupilstocatchthem,tocarryordragthemtothetable,andoftenforciblytoholdthemtheretillthelessonwasdone.TomIfrequentlyputintoacorner,seatingmyselfbeforehiminachair,withabookwhichcontainedthelittletaskthatmustbesaidorread,beforehewasreleased,inmyhand.Hewasnotstrongenoughtopushbothmeandthechairaway,sohewouldstandtwistinghisbodyandfaceintothemostgrotesqueandsingularcontortions—laughable,nodoubt,toanunconcernedspectator,butnottome—andutteringloudyellsanddolefuloutcries,intendedtorepresentweepingbutwhollywithouttheaccompanimentoftears.Iknewthiswasdonesolelyforthepurposeofannoyingmeand,therefore,howeverImightinwardlytremblewithimpatienceandirritation,Imanfullystrovetosuppressallvisiblesignsofmolestation,andaffectedtositwithcalmindifference,waitingtillitshouldpleasehimtoceasethispastime,andprepareforaruninthegarden,bycastinghiseyeonthebookandreadingorrepeatingthefewwordshewasrequiredtosay.SometimeshewasdeterminedtodohiswritingbadlyandIhadtoholdhishandtopreventhimfrompurposelyblottingordisfiguringthepaper.FrequentlyIthreatenedthat,ifhedidnotdobetter,heshouldhaveanotherline:thenhewouldstubbornlyrefusetowritethislineandI,tosavemyword,hadfinallytoresorttotheexpedientofholdinghisfingersuponthepen,andforciblydrawinghishandupanddown,till,inspiteofhisresistance,thelinewasinsomesortcompleted. YetTomwasbynomeansthemostunmanageableofmypupils:sometimes,tomygreatjoy,hewouldhavethesensetoseethathiswisestpolicywastofinishhistasks,andgooutandamusehimselftillIandhissisterscametojoinhimwhichfrequentlywasnotatall,forMaryAnnseldomfollowedhisexampleinthisparticular:sheapparentlypreferredrollingonthefloortoanyotheramusement:downshewoulddroplikealeadenweightandwhenI,withgreatdifficulty,hadsucceededinrootingherthence,Ihadstilltoholdherupwithonearm,whilewiththeotherIheldthebookfromwhichshewastoreadorspellherlesson.Asthedeadweightofthebiggirlofsixbecametooheavyforonearmtobear,Itransferredittotheotheror,ifbothwerewearyoftheburden,Icarriedherintoacorner,andtoldhershemightcomeoutwhensheshouldfindtheuseofherfeet,andstandup:butshegenerallypreferredlyingtherelikealogtilldinnerortea-time,when,asIcouldnotdepriveherofhermeals,shemustbeliberated,andwouldcomecrawlingoutwithagrinoftriumphonherround,redface.Of