Life — December 1, 1910 — page 49: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Ny SP TAL if Oy ” The Christmas Magazine KNOW ere I glance at the cover It’s something like this: A holiday lass and her lover, A mistletoe kiss, A tender Madonna appearing With heavenly train, Or Santa Claus gallantly steering An aeroplane. There's surely a Christmas narration Of lost people found, Or, say, of a glad celebration, Of lovers snowbound, Of some one whose Christmas emotions Unbuckle his purse, And, heaven deliver us!—oceans Of Christmas-tide verse. When all of the editors stumber (And lots of ‘em do), I'll get up a Holiday Number To show 'em a few! The cover shall blossom with roses To blizzards immune; Each page as it gently uncloses Shall murmur of June. As warm as the Panama Isthmus, As mellow with sun, It shan't have a word about Christmas— Not ever a one. And—no one will buy it, or heed it On table or shelf; The fact is, I doubt if I'd read it Myself. Arthur Guiterman. BRINGING IN THE BOAR'S HEAD The Spoiled Child HE spoiled child is a product of our more modern civilization. He came in shortly after the civil war and he seems to be here to stay. . Spoiling a child is often a difficult process. He may be of splendid material to start with— enduring, tough as a nut, with the right moral SSE «fibre. But by keeping at it day and night he can be soon spoiled, provided the parents have their heart in their work—as they usually have. One of the best things with which to spoil a child is money. Get as much money, therefore, as you conveniently can, With plenty of money you can provide for your child's future. In nine cases out of ten every child whose future is provided for is spoiled already. If this can be done promptly, therefore, no parent ought to feel worried There are various other ways of spoiling a child which are a great help. Threaten to punish him and then let him off. Occa- sionally get so mad that you can’t stand it and then punish him unjustly. Put him on an allowance and ridicule him if he doesn’t exceed it. This will bring him around to your view. Noth- ing so potent as ridicule. Show him off to visitors. They may not care to be enter- tained in this manner, but remember that spoiling your child is much more important than thgir comfort. Get him into the habit of having things charged to you. Argue before him as to how he ought to be treated. This makes conversation and shows him both sides. Live in a hotel. Take him with you on your travels. This will broaden his mind, stimulate his ambition and will give him a properly inflated idea as to the things he can do without first having the power to do them. There is a growing tendency among some parents to make a conscious effort to spoil their children. They are con- stantly thinking up new ways. This is a great tax on their time and ingenuity. Now the more natural way is to let the children alone. Assuming that you can provide him with sufficient money, every child can be expected in course of time to spoil him- self, without the aid or consent of any favored individual.