Cora and The Doctor; or, Revelations of A Physician's WifeLeslie, Madeline
General
Cora and The Doctor; or, Revelations of A Physician's Wife
Leslie, Madeline
Physicians -- Fiction
It is very warm; and I did not think it best for Pauline to accompany
me, as she had generally done of late. She thought this very hard, and
began to cry. I stepped back, and said, "Aunty sick; Pauline mustn't
cry," when she fairly screamed, and showed a very naughty temper. I saw
there was to be a contest; and I told Cæsar not to wait. "I must
postpone my ride until another time." Then taking her in my arms I
carried her to a room the farthest removed from Emily's, and laying off
my bonnet, attempted to take her into my lap.
But no, she would not come to me. She ran across the room and threw
herself down on the floor, kicking and screaming. I was astonished, and
did not know what to do. I was afraid if she cried so, she would make
herself sick; at the same time I knew that she ought to be made to obey.
It was in my heart to take her up and coax her to be good; but this I
knew would injure her, and destroy my authority. In a low firm voice I
said, "Get up, Pauline, and come to mamma." She only kicked the more,
and screamed the louder. I had not supposed the child had half the
strength of limb or lungs. This was her first exhibition of temper. Till
now she had been uniformly yielding and mild, though to be sure, as
Frank says, this was the first time her wishes were ever crossed.
I never was so perplexed; and if Frank had been in the house I should
have left her with him, and ran off where I couldn't hear her scream. I
kept repeating my commands; but she paid no attention, though I spoke as
gently and caressingly as I could, and asked her to be mamma's dear
little girl. She would stop screaming a moment and look at me; and when
I thought she was going to yield, she would begin afresh.
I tried to think she did not understand me, and was thankful for any
excuse for her. But in this I soon found I was mistaken; for I told her
to pick up a block and put it in the chair. This she did readily; then
when I told her to come to me, she lay down and began to kick and scream
with all her might.
I left her on the floor, and calling mother out of Emily's room, told
her in a whisper my trouble, and asked her what I could do. I even
begged her to go in, and try her skill. But she said that would not
answer the purpose; Pauline must be made to submit to me, as her parent.
She encouraged me by saying, "I once had just such a contest with Frank;
but when he yielded, it was for life."
I therefore returned to the room, with a heavy heart, where the noise
had entirely subsided. Finding, however, that she was no more ready to
obey, but had stopped from sheer exhaustion, I kneeled by the chair, and
asked God to give me wisdom and strength for this emergency. And if
chastisement were necessary, I prayed that it might be administered in a
right spirit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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