The Angel and the Author, and others by Jerome K. (Jerome Klapka) Jerome
page 144 of 171 (84%)
page 144 of 171 (84%)
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Understander pictures that Child wasting the all too brief period of
youth crowding itself up with knowledge. My dear Madam, you take it from me that your tears are being wasted. You wipe your eyes and cheer up. The dear Child is not going to be overworked: HE is seeing to that. As a matter of the fact, the Child of the present day is having, if anything, too good a time. I shall be considered a brute for saying this, but I am thinking of its future, and my opinion is that we are giving it swelled head. The argument just now in the air is that the parent exists merely for the Children. The parent doesn't count. It is as if a gardener were to say, "Bother the flowers, let them rot. The sooner they are out of the way the better. The seed is the only thing that interests me." You can't produce respectable seed but from carefully cultivated flowers. The philosopher, clamouring for improved Children, will later grasp the fact that the parent is of importance. Then he will change his tactics, and address the Children, and we shall have our time. He will impress on them how necessary it is for their own sakes that they should be careful of us. We shall have books written about misunderstood fathers who were worried into early graves. [The misunderstood Father.] Fresh Air Funds will be started for sending parents away to the seaside on visits to kind bachelors living in detached houses, miles away from Children. Books will be specially written for us picturing |
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