The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-01-13
FINS.
From the Newark N. J. Advertiser.
Children.

10 have children is the natural desire and
waut OF every human heart. May he live and
die childless! is the fierce malediction of re-
lentiess enemy. To have once possessed a
sweet child, though heaven may have taken it
again, is treasure boarded in the memory
and perpetual fountain of delight A prison
owes great deal of its gloom to the absence Of
these lights OF the household. A dwelling
made vocal by offspring is O garden of trees
young and old. of shrubs and flowers of run,
ming vines, of clingers and creepers, and climb
ers and singing birds in the branches. A house
without children is a forest of great tall pines.
cedars and hemlOcks. with no underwood and
fresh sapllngs, and destitute ofbird and flower.
Who would live in such a wilderness of grown
up, voiceless evergreens, when he might nestle
among young honey-suckles, and busy himself
IN helping along pretty nursery of boys and
girls? I'D - =
A child is ones self. and yet another. Per-
haps the natural wish to perpetuate ourselves
by the transmission of our blood to remote DOS
terity may have an agency in this common in
stlnct. This will, however. only account for
spring. But the feeling spoken of extends much
farther. We love to lift up the hats and look
into the bright faces of children, as we meet
them everywhere, even in the streets, especial
ly If they are girls. So we would, for that mat
ter, when these young buds shall have expand
ed into maidenhood. But they kindly save US
the trouble then. and the impertinence of push
ing back their hats becomes unnecessary, be-
cause they voluntarily do it for themselves.
Our reflection is apt to qualify a little the
pleasure communicated by the presence of these
sweet creatures. We think we catch a glimpse
OF innocence and JOY, while gazing upon the
sunny checks and into the sparkling, elanciag
eyes OF these newborn cherubs. This senti-
ment is not destined to last long. We discover
we are dreaming as we almost always are, at
the moment OF believing ourselves particularly
happy. Our satisfaction is adulterated by the
sad thought that these heaven borrowed plants
are either not what they seem. or else that the
atmosphere and soil into which they are trans
planted, are fatally hostile to their normal de-
velopment. The fruit that buds like these have
generally borne, has disappointed us hitherto
This reflection, which cannot always be repres-
seq, sobers our transports, and sharpens our vi
sion, SO that we discern, or think we do, q sha-
dow sometimes creeping over these pure and
happy faces, and then retiring, like thin cloud
passing athwart the sun.
1t is good for the old to minglc much with
the young. They borrow from them new life
and happiness, without diminishing the COM
mon stock. They would almost forget how to
laugh were it not for them All of us have
heard of a world without souls But what a
dreary abode would be world without these
little bodies? Kittens, paraquets and puppies
would then be in greater request than ever.
Their company is often terrible plague, but
not go bad as their absence What tricks thew
play with the old folks So they do and they
trick them out of their solitude and sorrow too.
They wear away the furniture very badly that
IS true. and so do they many dull, heavy hours.
They fun and frOlc. and make a noise Yes,
they do indeed and they run on thousand
little errands, are spectacles to their grandma
thQrS and their rackat 10 hot fforx
to grandpa's ears. They frolic, do they? Plea
SAINT 1t is to hear their merry voices when at
play. and see the prints of their little shoes or
pretty toes, in the sand, or their toys and play
things scattered about the house!
| When the angel owners have been transplant
ted to a better world there is no heart either of
parent, brother, sister, or friend, that does not
melt away at the sight of the things they have
| once handled, some OF which. perhaps. only drop
ped from their dying fingers as they ascended
We should like to see sensible old fellow who
would not prefer the antics Of his grand-chil-
dren before the monkey tricks even of the Ra-
vels or any clown or harlequin of them ALL
Why, if the old folks were to pay for the plea
sure, which the young sprouts of.the family af-
ford thefh gratis they do for that of the play
house, It Would amount to little fortune-
'Ahd' this indeed is true of domestic recreations
generally. IL properly. aid intelligently con-
dncted, 1ney Yeald keehthe little people, and
| gssat ehes too, at'h0me. They are as much su-
perior for attractiveness and hearty relish to
public evening amusements, as they are in
their purity and refining power. The latter
are debasing far beyond what's commonly i'm
agined. The former promote health, instead of
destroying it invigorate the intellect, instead
of leaving it passive to Impressions, and evil
ones too !; besides diffusing cheap and lasting
felicity throughout the household. Their in
fluence is generous; /; whereas the taste for pub
lie recreations is expensive, selfish, feverish,
disappointing, besides being ruinOus both to
real happiness and character.