Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-10-30
9aisfEllauanns.
PLEASANT HOMES.

Parents, strive to make your homes
pleasant and attractive Ifyou would have
your children grew up pure, healthy and
beautiful, attempt not to destroy their love
for beautiful things and for healthy recrea-
ton. Do not labor with such cold rigid,
self denying economy to hoard up money to
bestow uponsthem at your death, rather
devote a portion Of your surplus income to
embellishing and beautifying your dwellings,
and to furnish your girls and boys with the
means of home enjoyment, Introduce into
the family circle innocent amusemeHts, and
above all, yourselves join and assist the
young in their recreations aud plans for
social diversion. Teach them that most
beautiful and soul inspiring accomplishment,
music; allow them to romp, laugh and be
merry.
Many parents win crush with frown
every attempt at hilarity on the part Of
their children; they viii Danish all amuse-
ment and gayety from the family circle, and
cause a shade of gloom to settle over their
homes. What is the course of the children
of such parents? To escape from the op.
pressiye atmosphere of home becomes the
governing motive of all their actions
When away from the immediate care Of
their parents they viii secretly 90 to places
which they have been forbidden to visit,
and mingle with children with whom they
have been told not to associate; then they
viii Immediately become more hardened,
and plunge deeper and deeper into the sea
of forbidden pleasures, and resort TO false
hood to shield themselves from detection
ard after they have taken this step their
downward course is straight and rapid
They frequent drinking shops, smoke and
swear, associate with fast young men, soon
become fast themselves, and at last cause
the hoary heads of their parents TO bow in
sorrow.
Are not such parents in measure, re
sponsible for the sins of their children
The young will have enjoyment and # they
cannot find it at home they viii seek it
elsewhere, in doubtful places and IN doubtful
company They are full of vitality and
gayety; they have ungoyernable desires for
amusemeuts and social intercourse, and that
desire must be gratifed, legitimateiy it may
be, or iTlegitimately. Attempt TO suppress
it aud you viii ruin your children; direct it
in the proper channel, and you will cause
them to grow up happy and contented into
the best and noblest Of men and women.
One half of the depraved and abandoned
men and women ofthis country have been
made what they are by their parents.
Thro' ignorance and superstition they have
been driven from their homes, which to
them should be the most attractive places
on earth, to seek the streets by the forbid
den paths, for that recreation which is es-
seatiai to their very existence.
You who have children to train up think
Of this Devote portion Of Your time and
money to gratifying their love for social
amusement If you do not get rich quite
as fast, if you, perehance do not die 4
millionaire, what matters it2 You viii b
compensated hundred fold for the pecu-
mary loss by the joy and pleasure you vii
experience by seeing your children grow VI
noble and vEtuous, honored and respected
by those around them -DUNNELL.