Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1855-12-05
THE GRAND RIVER TIMES.
GRAND HAVEN, MICEIIGANs
WEDNESDAY EVENING. DEC. 5, 1855.

evenings are dawning upon us, we trnst our
readers will indulge us in few hints in res
pect to the most profitable manner OF spend
ing the respite which this season affords them
from the more active duties of life.
10 the farmer the months of productive
industry have passed. The fruit Of his sum
mer's toll is carefully stored in ample barns,
well nigh bursting with plenty. His hocks
and herds are comfortably provided with shell
ter from the chilling blasts and pelting storms
of approaching winter. And now when the
king of day has retired below the western
horizon, and the soft mantle of evening is
thrown DER the distant landscape, around his
ample fircside gathers group with smiling
faces and sparkling eyes that show gems Of
thought concealed in those broad, expanding
brows and thirsting for that bright improve
ment which renders t.
Beauty still more beautiful"
What parent in the midst of this interest
ing little group that thus surrounds the do
nestle hearth, can but pause and consider
well as the inquiry comes suddenly across his
mind, what can do to render these long win
ter evenings source of profit and pleasure
to those whom | so tenderly love, and whose
welfare and improvement SO much desire ?
Kind parent permit us to make a sugges-
tion-,feed the mind. IT'S the mind, proper
ly cultivated, that is to make that dutiful son,
that affectionate daughter, a crown to the
gray hairs of their parents, the loved and
honored among the good and virtuous. Then,
as they now look to you for direction and
counsel in the sweet morn of childhood, in
the vernal day of youth, and depend in that
helpless period upon your bounties for means
to perfect the growth of body and mind,
place within their reach proper aliment to en-
able them to possess, (" sans mems IN sans
corpore."
Begin not to argue, "Times are hard, and
the necessaries of life SO expensive that l can
barely furnish food and clothing for these dear
gems of our household; and as for books and
papers adapted to their taste, and suited to
their intellectual growth, they are utterly be-
yond my resources and must be dispensed
with" Stop moment and let us reason to-
gether upon this subject.
How much will it cost to supply your fam
lily with good newspaper, highly enter
tanning and useful magazine, or an instruct
i've periodical, for one year? For the small
sum of two dollars, you can obtain a weekly
copy of any one of half dozen of the larg-
est and most popular family newspapers pub
lished in the United States-yes, for one dol
lar eyen-your household may be furnished
a year with the most important events trans
piring in our own country, and thousand
valuable ideas that will be treasured up in
the youthful mind and afford many hours of
pleasing and profitable reflection. Again,
for two dollars your children may be permit
ted to greet with faces udiant with trans
ports Of joy and hearts bounding with delight,
the monthly visits Of Hagper's, Patnana's or
Graham's Magazines, Godey's or the Vest
ern Lady's Book, the Ladys Repository,
Lesle's Home Journal, or any other kindred
periodical. And can you not possibly afford
the expense? st.
The family circle, within whose sacred pre-
cincts never enters some paper or periodical,
must, indeed be, in the highest degree,
gloomy, cherries, uninviting. The very place
where the Evil One would seek to SOW tares,
and where would be found soil suited to a
most luxuriant growth of every vile and nox-
ious plant which the human mind uncultiva-
ted is capable of producing. Then let the
parent who loves his children land what pa
rent does notO spare no expense in furnish
ing proper food for the mind of his child.
Better, far, make the old coat, the shapeless
hat, the patched boot, last little longer,
than to bar your doors against the entrance
Of the messenger of knowledge, with well
come intelligence to the little circle of i'm
mortal minds that gather nightly around
your freside. Better that your table be spar
ngly furnished with luxuries, than that the
The mind become sickly and enfeebled, and
your son and daughter be allowed to grow up