“Are you allowed to state the facts?”
“It is of public record and History: A father knocked down his own son—because he kicked him.”
“Kicked his father?”
“Yes; poor little fellow!”
“Surely the boy should be punished;—not the father?”
After a startled glance of indignation, which quickly faded into pity, they continued:
“Children inherit all physical tendencies from their physical parents. In the case under discussion, the lad received vicious inclinations from the father, who had, however, so controlled his temper as to successfully pass all ante-marriage tests.
“Had he taught that son by example the self-discipline he so well understood, the boy would never have disgraced us.
“Through whose neglect was the boy injured? Clearly the father’s. The mother was also considered at fault, to this extent:
“Through a mistaken charity, a desire to shield her beloved from criticism, she had endured, without complaint several outbreaks previous to the one reported; for this she resigned, temporarily, her maternal rights and colors. Our future generations must be protected at any cost.”