Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1869-07-06
Parents in the Parlor.
DIT RIO SIGMA.

no other Objectionable feature of
American society which receives less
of the attention and consideration of
social reformers. Indeed, it is gene
rally overlooked, and seldom recog-
nized as one of the evils of our do
nestle institution. Such, however,
1T is. FfNb fn
We have class of young ladies'
many OF them among the most in
telligent and accomplished in the land
whose porents have not enjoyed
the advantages of a liberal education,
and have grown prematurely. old
under the tolls and privations which
were necessary in order to bequeath
to their children that Of which they
have so sorely felt the need : or have
allowed their aquirements 10 fall into
disuse, while they were laboring,
early and late, denying body as we'll
as mind, that they might fit their
children for-well, who knows what,
unless it be filial contempt
But you, whose daughters are not
yet grown or you, whose promising
sons are not the objects, of my right
eous Indignation; or you, whose
lovely children make tho exception
which proves tho rule; you may
urge that the evil Of which COM
plain exists only in my imagination.
But you call Tomorrow evening
on any half-doxcn Of your young
lady acquaintance, und see if in any
of those six places you find father or
mother. My word for it, neither
father or mother of the fair one will
greet you.
Of course, il would be needless to
ask whether this is right state of
society, and useless to answer the
question. But, to look at it in the
light of religious obligation, how
accords this practice with the precept
which says, "HoNoR thy father and
thy MOTHER"
Do you homer your guests by en-
pertaining them in the basement, or
leaving them up stairs to entertain
themselves? Do you honor your
friends by emitting to invite them
when others are hidden to your
feasts I Do you honor your compan-
ions by seeking your own pleasure
without reference to their enjoyment?
DO you honor your parents BY treat
ing them as you would in ne case
treat mere acquaintance | tell
you nay
But, to descend from the consider.
alton of the divine law to the ques-
tien Of human expediency. Com
paratively few men, had they any
satisfactory means of Judging, would
choose for wife o woman OF whose
filial character they knew nothing !;
and no man worth having would
marry woman whom he knew to
be disregardful of her highest obli-
gation-the respect due TO her par
ents.
Many a woman, now in life's me-
ridian, toiling alone and unloVed,
would been sheltered by strong arms
and cherished by a warm heart, had
she in youth manifested that filial
tenderness and honor which is the
crowning grace of girlhood, and
which every considerable man would
require in the future mother of his
children. Few have any idea how
much men are governed, in the choice
of wife, by the principle underlying
the old adage, "Like daughter, like
wife"
Where lies the fault, and where is
the remedy? The fault lies mainly
on the heads of the parents OF this
generation. The remedy is in the
hands of "the coming" generation.
Not that children are wholly ex-
onerated. Much sin lies at their
door, but they may sweep it from
their threshold and shake off the
dust of it from their feet. 1t is still
in their power, at least in some mea-
sure to retrieve their past, to amend
their present and to make bright their
future.
This, | admit, must needs be a
difficult task. Father and mother
have grown SO used to their old,
fashioned ways; their plain manners
and rough hands and unsoft speech
have been SO long, though perhaps
silently, reproached by the sweet
tones, lily hands, and pretty graces
of their children, they feel but ill at
ease amid the music and mirth of
their own fireside. They are more
comfortable in the basement or
they need the sleep that to a laboring
man is sweet, and SO they go to their
rest, forgetting that they owe to
themselves the respect due to their
age and parenthood; forgetting that
they owe to their children the whole.
some restraint of their kindly pres
ence and the exercise of parental
care.
To the coming fathers ard moth
ers would say: Whatever your
condition of "mind, body, or estate"
never settle down into the idea that
there is no longer any need for you
to know anything. Suppose that
you have to some extent withdrawn
from society and become surrounded
with family ties and interests. Whyl
your need of knowledge only Just
Eegun. You will have to walk pret-
ty. briskly, with eyes and ears open,
if you but keep pace with the age.
But more than this is necessary
The training of both parent and child
for the exercise of perennial and filial
duties must begin IL infancy; or ut
least, before the latter is able to COM
pete with the former in education.
If children are brought up to think
that father and mother may do that
work with which they must never
soil their fingers; if parents habitu-
etc themselves to shabby attire and
careless ways if they allow their
children to begin receiving company
and ''going out, !" without themselves
assisting in the duties and partaking
of the pleasures of society, they
have only to expect that gradually
they will lose the reins of govern
ment. the bands of respect. tho co ads