The Children
by CHARLES DICKENS When the lessons and tasks are all ended, And the school for the day is dismissed, And the little ones gather around me, To bid me good-night and be kissed: Oh, the little white arms that encircle My neck in a tender embrace! Oh, the smiles that are halos of heaven, Shedding sunshine of love on my face! And when they are gone I sit dreaming Of my children too lovely to last; Of love that my heart will remember, When it wakes to the pulse of the past, Ere the world and its wickedness made me A partner of sorrow and sin, When the glory of God was about me, And the glory of gladness within. Oh, my heart grows weak as a woman's, And the fountains of feeling will flow, When I think of the paths, steep and stony, Where the feet of the dear ones must go; Of the mountains of sin hanging o'er them, Of the tempest of Fate blowing wild; Oh! there is nothing on earth half so holy As the innocent heart of a child! They are idols of hearts and of households; They are angels of God in disguise; His sunlight still sleeps in their tresses, His glory still gleams in their eyes; Oh! those truants from home and from heaven, They have made me more manly and mild And I know how Jesus could liken The Kingdom of God to a child. Seek not a life for the dear ones, All radiant as others have done, But that life may have just enough shadow To temper the glare of the sun; would pray God to guard them from evil, But my prayer would bound back to myself; Ah! a seraph may pray for a sinner, But a sinner must pray for himself. The twig is so easily bended, I have banished the rule and the rod; I have taught them the goodness of knowledge, They have taught me the goodness of God; My heart is a dungeon of darkness, Where I shut them from breaking a rule; My frown is sufficient correction; My love is the law of the school. I shall leave the old house in the autumn, To traverse its threshold no more; Ah! how I shall sigh for the dear ones, That meet me each morn at the door! I shall miss the "good-nights" and the kisses, And the gush of their innocent glee, The group on the green, and the flowers That are brought every morning to me. I shall miss them at morn and at eve, Their song in the school and the street; I shall miss the low hum of their voices, And the tramp of their delicate feet. When the lessons and tasks are all ended, And death says, "The school is dismissed!" May the little ones gather around me, To bid me good-night and be kissed. Source unknown |
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13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16 (KJV) NURSERY DIET.
--The mother's milk is far the best diet for infants. Next to this, cow's or goat's milk mingled with warm water and sugar, in a small quantity. The water should be poured boiling hot on the milk, and allowed to cool to the warmth of new milk. Nature shows by the denial of teeth to new-born infants that solid food is not proper for them. When teeth are supplied in sufficient number to masticate solid food, a moderate quantity of such as is of a delicate quality will not be amiss, such as is easy of digestion; but even then meats should be cut up fine before given to a child in the progress of dentition. And hard bread or crackers should be soaked in milk or tea before partaken of by such child. Dried fruits, especially raisins, should never be given to children. These last, if swallowed whole, are apt to cause convulsions, and even if slightly chewed, are very indigestible. Cheese should never be given to young children, for the same reason. It is not good for them even if grated fine. Children seldom chew hard substances perfectly. Well-cooked chicken, birds, or the soft part of oysters, are food strong enough for small children, and then well cut up. Boiled milk, thickened with rice flour, corn-starch, or wheat flour, is a very nutritious and agreeable diet for young children; sweeten it slightly,--and if the child is threatened with diarrhoea, boil a stick of cinnamon in the milk. When your child has reached the age of three years, let its drink at breakfast and tea be simple milk; it is far more healthy than coffee or tea. Milk and good well-baked light bread or well-baked crackers are the very best breakfast for a child. Never give your child cake or preserves at night. Exercise is necessary to facilitate the digestion of such articles of food. In summer, if your child has the slightest tendency to diarrhoea, never allow it fresh vegetables of any kind, especially green corn or potatoes. Rice and small hominy are the best vegetables for children. A little salt herring or ham will sometimes give tone to the weak stomach of a child, when suffering especially with diarrhoea. Source unknown |
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