The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-07-25
The Grandchildren r COBp-
ing.

After all, what is the use? We set up our
house, and one by one children ty into IL, like
birds out Of some foreign wood into 4 cage-one,
two, three, four, and more. With each one
comes also a CRY; and that IL the keynote 10
which a hundred sorrows add their voices and
gradually swell into that strange chorus which
men call human liiei For each child there Is to
be a fringe of care ON the edge OF every day.
Each child brings burden and a~nXieties. Tears
in their eyes are but harbingers of more IN the
eyes of all who love them, To shape them from
infancy to goodness, 10 teach their hands. 10 drill
their heads, 10 repair their mistakes and secure
their firm footing in an honorable manhOod-who
can measure the thought, the feeling, the endeav-
Ors? And then, when the long task is done, is
there no compensation? Or do they not one by
one detach themselves, and like comedy fruit fall
from the bough on which they grow, leaving it
bare and empty?
That daughIer-just as she began to be q full
companion, to repay all the labor of her training
lis snatehed 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 aud school-tasks,
foDdly preserved, carry u sadness to the mother s
heart every time they are looked upon, The
boys, almost before you dream that they have
ceased to he boys, come asking the fathers bless
ing on u new conner. BY the time that father and
mother are conscious of age and %infirmity, the
whole brood Is scattered and gone. The old house
is solitary. 1t used to be stIaitened for room
when all the children were ut home; but now
there IL room too much. 1t used to be unquiet
and noisy, but now one might doze all day for all
the noise that is made. Only the fire swapping
out suddenly, or the drOwsy old clock ticking be-
bind the door, or Il kitten mewing to get in, or to
to get out, or a squeaking mouse or rat, make
any audible noise. When CHILDREN are all ut
home, a man is like a Norway spruce, whose well
grown branches, beginning from the level of the
ground, rise up in a perfect pyramid, shaping tine
tree to exquisite proportions. But each child
married is n bough Topped of, leaving n wide
space, until the parent trunk is finally trimmed
up like u shaft, and all the yendure left elings
about the top.
In European communities the children often
marry and settle down around their childhood
But this IL rare in America. The endless
that II going on sweeps away the
and to be married is almost synonymous
with going far away from home.
AL this, Mr.. Bonner, describes my state of
mind last week. Ii is very different now. Word
come that the grandchildren are coming home.
home? What, both of the children? and
heir mother? for a 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 n household once more. Children are
the flowers which God sends down from heaven To
snliyen and cheer this life. What was L saying,
1 little back, about the care, and anxiety, and
pain, and trouble of bringing them up? Stuff
mere stuff, Mr.. Bonner, l assure you. Don't be-
tNt u " VI - 49, AA @ANNAh ~ D
s.as half nightmare. / am awake now, and do
assure you that he Who Is tit to have, and to rear
will see ten-ycs, n hundred joys TO
very sorrow; and the sunshine of their smiles
will turn into rainbOws every tear which they
he'd or cause to be shed.
If there IL anything in this world that pays as
{ goes along, it is taking care of children.
Raising flowers Is all very well. But flowers
in them no mischief; they behave too well,
hey lack human nature, they need the iridescent
qualities Of disposition that flash from every sur
nee Of a child's life. Children n trouble? DO
hey pout, fret, disobey, and go wrong? Don't
;ou wish your asters and hOneysuekles would
how rs much life? What would you give to
ave n singing vine, or n flower that could learn
o say it's prayers?
Why, trouble in the nursery is the parents
lastime. If one don't believe 1t, let him be left
or n while without children. lie will soon be
to hear that the grandchildren are coming
Well, we must get ready for them. Let the
lrawers be filed with candy. Get out the crib
ne put up the dear little narrow bed again.
Hunt up the dolls, the wagons, the playhouse,
he picture-books, the strings. Where are the
chairs for the table, and the little cups and
;niyes and forks for the childis hand? 1t looks
ike living again
Now we shall be walked up in the morningbya
hubby rogue climbing up ON the bed, and playing
ricks with my eyes and nose. Then will come
ne troOping down to breakfast, and all the table
mites. Then we will % up To family prayers
nd what a time those children will make of it.
are not natural worshipIers,
But how patient we will be! Nothing shall
ret us. Already we are more robust, and shall
1T out the buckle Of our girdle one or two holes.
n short, the grandchildren are coming and, in
Themselves back to US, they bring back
he childhood Of their parents too, and bring us
to ourselves ,-Henry Ward Beecher, m The