Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1857-08-19

tivator makes the following sensible remarks:
81 wish those boys loved to stay at home
IN the evening"" said a mother in my hearing,
last night; and the sigh and look of distress
which accompanied her words, told plainly
that her heart was deeply panied by their oft
repeated absence, and she watched their re-
treating footsteps with troubled countenance
and knew not what might be the company
they sought, nor what evil influence might
be thrown around them. iseas
They were industrious boys Of sixteen and
eighteen, just beginning to fancy they wero
too large and too old to be longer subject to
parental authority. They were not vicious
or idle, but worked with willing hand
through the day, doing the work of men; but
when evening came, they sought pleasure
abroad, unmindful of fathers advice, or
mothers entreaty. l glanced around their
home, comfortable, farm-lke dwelling,
where all the wants of the physical nature
were well supplied as is too often the
case the food for the mind was less abundant.
"A few school books, which the boys had
never learned to love, bible, and hymn
book, constituted the family library, and
was not surprised that they should leave the
circle at home, and seek the cheerful throng
that was lounging in the store, or join in the
vulgar mirth and profano jests that went
round the boisterous group.
"You are seeing your happest days with
your boy" said the mother to me, as my
baby cIung to my arm with the sweet conf
dence of infancy; "you know aohere he IS,
now, and have no anxiety for him now, but
when he is older, he will be beyond your in
fluence and 90, you know not where"
thought of the old proverb, strain up
child in the way he should go, and when he
is old, he will not depart from it," and | shook
my head doubtingly and said nothing. But
/ asked myself is it really true, as have Of
ten heard it remarked, that parents enjoy
more pleasure in the society of children in
their infancy, than in youth and maturity?
If SO, surely there is q reason, and that reason
too often the result Of parental mistakes, in
the early discipline of their children. We
watch with delight the first dawning of intel
lect, await with impatence the first indistinct
effort to talk, are pleased with their infantino
pratte, and it seems strange that the pleas
ures of social intercourse should diminish
with their growing intelligence.
But we cannot expect children to be, like
ourselves, steady, old and careworn. Fun
and frolic are essential to their happiness,
and it is no injury to any one to join heartily
in these sports If we enter into theirsports
in childhood, and take the lead of their joys
and pleasures in youth, we shall keep our
own hearts young and joyous, make homo
the centre of attractions, and while doing
much to educate their mental facnlties, we
shall find far greater satisfaction in their
society, than we can possibly find in the art
less trust Of infancy. a % tei
A few dollars judiciously expended in
books and engravings suitable for your chill
dren, will do much to awaken a love Of home,
and venture to assert, there is nothing will
have a stronger influence in keeping "those
boys" quietly at home, than to cultivate q
TASTE FOR READING. Begin early. Read
to them before they can read for themselves;
explain what you read, and encourage them
to converse with you about it. Teach them
to observe the common phenomena of nature,
and to study into the causes which produce
the effects they see. A mother may do this
herself without being philosopher. She
may awaken their curiosity upon the various
objects around them, and direct them where
this curiosity may be gratiied, place within
their reach useful and instructive books, and
show by example as well as by prcccpt that
she appreciates them, and the pleasures Of
home will be purer and sweeter to every one
of the family, and the children will seldom
have occasion to seek evening amusement
away from the charmed circle of home. It
has been truthfully said "a good book is the
best of company" and the earlier we intro
duce our children into the society of good
books, the greater will be the benefit derived
from them, and the stronger will be their at
tachment to the social circle around the eve
ming fire, and there will be less danger of
their seeking diversion in the company of the
idle and vicious. But if we neglect to mako
home happy, and to furnish entertainment
for the intellect, be assured that the restless
desire of the human mind for "some new
thing" will frequently attract ''thosc boys"
and girls too away from home in search of
amusement
Nothing ever grows old in memory; the
little boy that died, so long ago, isoan eter-
nal child; and even as he crept over the thres-
| hold of God,s oates aiar nj the beckOniuO of