t
freedom to kick. Later on the parent dresses the Child in short clothes,
and leaves bits of its leg bare. The elderly maiden Understander of
Children, quoting medical opinion, denounces us as criminals for leaving
any portion of that precious leg uncovered. It appears that the
partially uncovered leg of childhood is responsible for most of the
disease that flesh is heir to.

Then we put it into boots. We "crush its delicately fashioned feet into
hideous leather instruments of torture." That is the sort of phrase that
is hurled at us! The picture conjured up is that of some fiend in human
shape, calling itself a father, seizing some helpless cherub by the hair,
and, while drowning its pathetic wails for mercy beneath roars of demon
laughter, proceeding to bind about its tender bones some ancient
curiosity dug from the dungeons of the Inquisition.

If the young gentleman fresh from College or the maiden lady Understander
could be, if only for a month or two, a father! If only he or she could
guess how gladly the father of limited income would reply,

"My dear, you are wrong in saying that the children must have boots. That
is an exploded theory. The children must not have boots. I refuse to be
a party to crushing their delicately fashioned feet into hideous leather
instruments of torture. The young gentleman fresh from College and the
elderly maiden Understander have decided that the children must not have
boots. Do not let me hear again that out-of-date word--boots."

If there were only one young gentleman fresh from College, one maiden
lady Understander teaching us our duty, life would be simpler. But there
are so many young gentlemen from College, so many maiden lady
Understanders, on the job--if I may be permitted a vulgarism; and as yet
they are not all agreed. It is distracting for the parent anxious to do
right. We put the little dears into sandals, and then at once other
young gentlemen from College, other maiden lady Understanders, point to
us as would-be murderers. Long clothes are fatal, short clothes are
deadly, boots are instruments of torture, to allow children to go about
with bare feet shows that we regard them as Incumbrances, and, with low
cunning, are seeking to be rid of them.

Their first attempt.

I knew a pair of parents. I am convinced, in spite of all that can be
said to the contrary, they were fond of their Child; it was their first.
They were anxious to do the righ