The Portland daily press., 1868-04-28
Miscellany.
Tine Grandchildren Are Coming.

Alter all, what is the use? We set up our
house, and one by one children fly into it like
birds out Of some foreign wood into cage
one, two, three, four, and more. With each
one comes also cry; and that is the key
note to which hundred sorrows add their
voices and gradually swell INTO that strange
C orus which men call human life! For each
child there is to be a fringe OF care on the
edge of every day. Each child brings bur-
dens and anXieties. Tears in their eyes are
but haroingers of many more in the eyes OF
all who love chem! To shape them from
infancy to goodness, to teach their hands, to
drill their heads, to repair their mistakes, and
secure their firm footing in an honorable
manhood-who can measure the thought, the
feeling, the endeavors? And then, when the
task is done, is there no compensation? Or
do they not one by one detach themselves,
and like comely fruit fall from the boueh on
which they grow, leaving il bare and empty?
That daughter ust as she began to be
full companion, to repay all the labor OF her
Trainings snatched away by some one who
has known her fewer weeks than the parents
have years. She goes. The house is empty
of her. Her rooms, her drawers, her books
and school-tasks, londly preserved, carry
sadness to the mothers heart every time they
are looked upon The boys, almost before
you dream that they have ceased to be boys,
come asking the fathers blessing on new.
conner. BY the time that father and mother
are conscious of age and infrmity the whole
brood is scattered and gone. The old house
is solitary. 1t used to be straitenel for room
when all the children were at home; but
now there is room too much. 1t used TO be
unquet and noisy, but now one might doze
all the day ior all the noise that is made.
Only the file, swapping out suddenly, or the
droWsy ola clock ticking behind the door, or
kitten mewing to get in, or to get out, or
squeaklng mouse or rat, make any audible
noise. When children are ali at home a man
is like Norway spruce, whose well grown
branches. beginning from the level OF the
ground, rise up in perfect pyramid shaping
the tree to exquisite proportions But each
child married is bough Topped off, leaving
wide space, until the parent trunk is finally
trimmed up like shaft, and all the verdute
left clings about the top.
10 European communities the children Of
ten marry and settle down around their child
hood home. But this is rare in America
The endless circulation that is going on
sweeps away the children and to be married
is almost Synonymous with going far away
ftom home.
All this, Mr.. Bonner, describes my state of
mind last week. II is very different now
Word has come that the grandchildren are
coming home. Coming home? What both
the children? and their mother? for good
long visit? Bless their little hearts! let them
come. There's nothing in this house too
good for them. Now, then, we shall have
household once more. Children are the
flowers which God sends down from heaven
to enliven and cheer this lie. What was l
saying, a little back, about care anu anxiety
and pain, and trouble of bringing them up
StuH-mere stuff, Mr.. Bonner, assure you.
Don't believe word of it. | was surely in a
II b,lc oI-o
now, and do assure you that he who is fit to
have and to rear children will see ten-yes, a
hundred joys to every sorrow; and the sun
shine OF their smiles will turn into rainbows
every tear which they shed or cause to be
he'd.
Ii there is anything in this world that pays
as it goes along, it is taking care of children.
Raising flowers is all very well. But flowers
have in them no mischief; they behave too
well, they lack human nature, they need the
iridescent qualities of disposition that flash
from every surface of chiils life. Children
a trouble! DO they pout, fret, disobey and
go wrong? Don't you wish your asters and
honeysuckles would show as much life? What
would you give to have singing vine, OF a
flower that could say its prayers?
Why, trouble IN the nursery is the parents
paStlme. If one doesn't believe it, let him
be left for while without children. He viii
soon be glad to hear that the grandchildren
are coming home.
We'll, we must get ready for them. Let
the drawers be filled with candy. Get out
the crib and put up the dear little narrow bed
again.
Hunt up the dolls, the wagons, the play
house, the pcturb-ooks, the strings. Where
are the tall chairs for the table, and the lit
tie cups and knives and forks for the childs
hand? II looks like living again.
Now we shall be walked up in the morning
by chubby rogue climbing up on the bed,
and playing tricks with my eyes and nose
Then will come the trooping down to break
fast, and all the table antics. Then we will
go up to family prayers-and what time
those children will make of it. Children are
not natural worshipetsl
But how patient we will be! Nothing
shall fret US. Already we are more robust,
and shall let out the buckle of onr girdle one
or two holes. In short, the grandchildren
are coming; and. in bringing themselves back
to US, they bring back the childhood of
their parents, too, and bring US back to our
selves Henry Ward Beecher, IN the Ledg-
er.