Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-12-27
To Make a Happy Home.

happy man--praising his boys, for sturdy
fellows, who had escaped the dissipation
and excitement of city life, and were now
as fresh in heart and as ruddy in face as
when they prattcd about their mothers
knee. l had seen so much Of parental
sorrow over sons gone estray, corrupted
physically and morally, that I vcntured
to ask my friend, the happy father, how it
was that he had been able to save his boys
from the contamination of evil associations
and bad habits.
'The way is simple enough he said, e,
neither original nor in any way romarko-
bic. keep my boys at home evenings by
making their home plcasanter place
than they can find elsewhere. l save them
from the temptation Of frequenting doubt.
full places of amusements by supplying
them with better pleasure at home. Many
things which considered improper, or at
least as lrivulous, encourage now, be.
cause [ find my sons desire them, and l
prefer that they may crafty their desire
at home, and i'll their mothers presence,
where nothing that is wrong will come,
and where amusements, which under some
circumstances may be Objectionable, lose
all their venom, and become innocent. and
even elevating. l have found that the
danger is more in the concomitants of
many amusemcnts than in the amusemcnts
themselves that many things which will
injurc young man in a club, or among
evil associates, are harmless when engaged
in with the surroundings Of home. AS
long as children are children, they will
} crave amusement aud no reasoning can
convince them that it is wrong to crafty
their desire. When they hear certain
things denounced as sinful by those whose
opinion they hold in reverence, and are
tempted by the example of others who de-
fend them, to disobey their parents wish
and participate in them, long downward
step is taken; parental authority and pa
rental opinions arc held in less reverence !;
) the home hat ostraciscs these amuscments
becomes a dull and tiresome place and
in secret places, among companions, they
seek for them until at length conscience is
, scared, 1ilial feeling overcome, and parents
are compelled TO sigh over the lost aiTec-
tions and confidence of their children.
Il have cndcavorcd,' said this father,
, 'to join with my boys, and be boy with
them, in their pleasures. And do be-
lievo there is no companion they are mer-
ripr with, and delight in, more than the
, old boy, If think place Of amusement
is innocent, and will please them, out we
go some evening, mother, boys, girls and
father, and enjoy the world all the more
because we are together, and do not 60 too
= often.
but we don't care to be out from home
much. We have way among ourselves
e of keeping up a kind Of reading society
= and we are apt TO get 80 engaged in the
, book we are reading, that we feel little like
leaving it. We take great care to find {
readable book-useful books, works O
e travel, essays, good biographies of goot
n men, and the like then we read then
, aloud in the evening, when we arc all a
: home from school, or store, ca ch taking ;
c turn at the reading. 1t always looks to
r me pretty pcturo-mother and the girl!
= sewing at the tables, Tom reading aou,
- from Tom Brown School Days'-a grca
c book with us-and myself in dressing
: gown and slippers at tho fire, and Free
= and Willie near at hand. We are all lis
u tening eagerly to the history of the sturdy
!, Tom, Fred is feeling the muscles Of hi
/, arm, wondering how it would compare
!, with that of young Rubian. And we ar,
all, to my thinking, a happy, comfortable
. family.
. AT half past nine clock, | suggest tha
e the time is up; but Tom bcgs to be allowl
= to finish his chapter, and, nothing loath
myself l assent In a few minutes l have
my big Bible on my knee, and my specta-
= cles out, and am reading the fifteenth chap
:, ter of John: Il am the true vine, and ny
Q father is the busbandmau. We sing ou
t evening hymn tonight start the gooC
: old evening hymn, commenting
?. Glory to thee. my God, this niqht,
O For all the blessings Of the light,
- I'VE kncol together in prayer to thu
+ Father of all and then the children are
off to bed, and two happy people, my wifi
y and myself, are left to thank God for th'
Q many blessings he has granted us
- left this man, with many thoughts anC
5 self condemnation, determined that day t.
Il see what could do to make another de-
lirbfol G, n,i1y circlp I have hprun onC