The Shasta courier., 1862-07-12
To Make a Happy Home.

heard father, the other day---a hale.
happy man--praising his boys, four 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 prattled about their mother knee. |
had seen so much of parental sorrow over
sons gone astray, corrupted physically and
morally, that | ventured to ask my friend
the happy father, how it was that he had
been able to save his boys from the contami-
nation of evil associates and bad habits.
The way is simple enough" he said,
g neither original nor in any way remark
able. ! keep my boys at home evenings, by
making their home pleasanter place than
they can find elsewhere. | save them from
| the temptation of frequenting doubtful places
of amusement, by supplying them with bet
ter pleasures at home. Many things which
| considered improper, or at least frivolous,
| encourage now, because find my sons de-
sire them, and prefer that they may crafty
their desire at home, and in 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 haye found that the
amusements than in the amusements them
selves; that many things which VII iniure
young man in Q club, or among evil assoc-
| ates, are harmless when engaged in with the
surrounding of a home. As long as children
are children, they will crave amusements,
| and no reasoning can convince them that it
| is wrong to crafty their desire. When they
hear certain things denounced as sinful, by
those whose opinions they hold in reverence,
and are tempted by the example of others
who defend them, to disobey their parents
wish and participate in them, long down.
| ward step is taken; parental authority and
parental opinions are held in less reverence:
the home that ostracises these amusements
becomes dull and tiresome place; and in
secret places, among companions, they seek
for them, until at length conscience is scared.
flial feeling overcome, and parents are COM
PEELED to sigh over the lost affections and con-
| fidence of their children.
Il have endeavored, said the father, ''to
join with my boys, and be boy with them
in their pleasures. And | do believe there
is no companion they are merrier 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; mo-
ther, boys, girls and father, and enjoy the
,Torld all the more because we are together,
and do not SO TOO often.
{. But VIC don't care to be out from; home
| too much. We have way among ourselves
of keeping up kind of reading society, and
we are apt to get so engaged in the bool, we
are reading. that we feel little like leaving
it. We take care to find readable books,
good novels, works of travel, essays, good
| biographies of good men, and the like; then
we read them aloud in the evening, when we
are all at home from school or store, each
taking turn at the reading. 1t always
looks to ne g pretty picture-mother and
girls sewing at the table, Tom reading
aloud from Tom Browns School Days. Ia
| great book with us) myself in dressing
gown and slippers at the fire, and Fred and
Willie near at hand. We are all listening
eagerly to the history of the sturdy Tom
Fred is feeling the muscles of his arm, Won
dering how it would compare with that of the
young Rugbian. And we are all, to my
thinking, a happy, comfortable family,
'..At half past nine O'Clock, | suggest that
the time is up; but Tom begs to be allowed
| to.,f finish his chapter, and nothing 10th my
self, | assent In a few minutes | have my
big Bible on my knees and my spectacles out,
and am reading the 18th chapter of john
/ am the true vine, and my father is the
husbandman.' We sing our evening hymn.
Tonight start the good cid evening hymn
Glory to thee, my God, this night,
For all the blessings of the light,
We kneel together in praying to the Father
of all; and then the children are off to bed,
and two happy people, my wife and myself,
are left to thank God for the many blessings
| He has granted u.s."
| left this man with many thoughts and
some self-eondemnation, determined that day
| to see what 7 could do to make another de-
lighted family circle. l have begun. and so
| great has been my success and so abundant
| my reward in Joyous heart, and cheerful,
trusting family, that l would some others
wight know and try the same.