The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-08-22
How to Make Boys Stop at Home.

WISH tnOSc boys lOVeQ 10 stay at
home in the evening"" said mother in
my hearing last night; and the sight
and look of distress which accompanied
her words, told plainly that her heart
was deeply panied by the oft repeated
absence and she watched their retreat
ing footsteps with a troubled counte-
nance, and knew not what might be
the company they sought, nor what evil
influence might be thrown around
them. -@i+.- -s..- ''i
They were industrious boys of six
teen and eighteen, just beginning to
fancy they were too large and too old
to be louger subject to parental author
| ity. They were not vicious or idle, but
worked with a willing hand through
the day, doing the work of men; but
when evening came they sought pleas
ure abroad, unmindful of fathers ad-
vice or mothers entreaty. / glanced
around their home, a comfortable, far
mer-like dwelling, where all the wants
of the physical nature were well sup
piled, but, as it is too often the case,
the food for the mind was less abun-
dant A few school-books which the
boys had never learned to love, Bible
and hymn book, constituted the fam
lily library; and l was not surprised
that they should leave the circle at
home, and seek the cheerful throng that
were lounging in the store, or to join
the vulgar mirth and profane iests that
went round the boisterous group.
"You are seeing your happiest days
with your boy" said a mother to me,
as my baby clung to my arm with the
sweet confidence of infancy; "you
know where he is, and have no anxiety
for him now, but when he is older he
will be beyond your influence, and 60
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 doubt
ingly and said nothing.
But we cannot expect children to be
like ourselves-steady, old and care
worn. Fun and frolic are essential to
their happiness, and it is no injury to
any one to join heartily in these sports
in childhood, and take the lead of their
pleasures in youth we shall keep our
own hearts young and joyous, make
home the center of attraction, and while
doing much to educate their mental
faculties, we shall find greater salts
faction in their society than we posi-
bly, can in the artless trust of infancy.
A few dollars judiciously spent in
books and engravings suitable fol
young children, will do much to awak
en- love of home; and venture to
assert there is nothing which. will have
! a stronger influence in keeping those
boys quietly at home than to cultivate
! a taste for reading. Begin early
Read to them before they can read fol
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 moth
: er may do this herself, without being
a philosopher. She may awaken theil
e curiosity upon the various object:
e around them where this curiosity may
! be gratifed; place within their reach
5 useful and and instructive books, and
# show by example as well as by precept
|, that she appreciates them, and the
i pleasures of home will be purer anG
y sweeter to every member of the fami
. ly, and the children will seldom .hay,
It occasion to seek amusements away
d from the charmed circle of home. /
has been truthfully said, "a good bool
!, is the best of company" and the earli
: er we introduce our children into tht
!, !, society of good books, the greater will
be the benefit derived from them, ant
the stronger will be their attachmen
to the social circle around the evening
!. : fire, and there will be less danger o
diversion in the society of the idle an(
the vicious. But if We neglect to maxi
ir home happy, and to furnish entertain
y ment for the intellect, be assured tina
y the restless desire of the human mine
for "some new thing" will frequentl
If attract those boys, and girls, too, ava
from home in search of amusement
Home Magazine.