Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-03-20
Stupid Sundays.

Perhaps | ought to say Sunday afternoons.
The morning is lively enough, what with
breakfast Just little late, dressing for church
and getting the youngsters ready, looking
over lessons, etc. But after we have come
home from church aud Sunday.sehool, and
have eaten our dinner, Il think we eat rather
more than on week days. and have spent q
comfortable hour before the fie with our "a.
yorte religious newspapers-we elders,
mean, Of course--there comes a change over
the spirits Of the family. Hitherto we Eayc
been brisk and lively, but now certain dream.
mess creeps over us-a tendency to lean back
in our chairs, close our eyes, and Indulge 10
thought About this time some Of us arc
generally missing from the room, aud if sought
for in our closets, would not | fear be found
engaged in mediation or prayer.
The children, too, have reached very un-
easy stage. Dressing, church, school, diuncr,
have kept them busy, but now thore comes q
level stretch Of time that it frets their impati-
ent spirits to traverse. Possibly the head OF
the family, mindful Of parental duty, reads
aloud TO them, or catechzes them upon the
the lesson Of the day but these exercises can
not well extend over an hour, and there remain
four or five more before tea-time There can
be no geefnl rushing out of doors for frolic
and play it is hardly admissible to range
the chairs in a line for a stage-coaoh, or have
bindmans buff puss in the corner or the
other lively sports that a rainy day allows to
shut-up little ones. Perhaps a Scripture
story or picture book may content them u
little longer, and then-aud then-do you
hear whispered muttering over in the
corner
Il think Sundays real stupid day, don't
yOu2"
Yes, do. You can't do this, and you
can't do that, aud you can't have anything
nice as on other days. I'm glad when its
over
80 am l."
Something wrong here2 Yes, there is,
and what is more there seems no ready means
OF righting it.
I'm tell you what | have found out,
said neighbor Ringway, to whom said some.
thing like the above. "A young house
painter in our village fell from a ladder last
summer and paralyzed the lower part Of his
body. He lies, aud will lie for long months
to come, helpless on his bed. lie has a wife
and child. OF course, their means Of living
are cut off, |, as well as others, have aided
the poor fellow, aud mean to look after the
family this wiuter.
=" | have little boy, active and restless,
to whom Sunday afternoons are a sore bur-
den. One Sunday when he was fretting
about the house, teasing his mother aud
plaguing the baby, l said to hin Harry
would you like to 90 and see poor Mr.. ella.
zier? The boys face frightened, aud he
said, OF course | would, papa He hur-
ried to get his things mamma gave him a
little basket Of fruit to carry. put some
papers in my pocket and we started out.
The fresh air seemed to blow away Harry
ill-humor, and he went skipping along, gaily
chatting.
I'VE had pleasant call at the Glaziers',
aud they seemed glad to see us. Harry
played with the child, aud listened to Mr..
Glaciers account of his accident and took
his first lesson in practical doing good. |
felt hundred per cent. better than if had
stayed at home doing over apewspaper
ave came home and (by-the-way mother
had nice, quiet time while we were gonel
had pleasant little Bible lesson, then some
singing, and when my little fellow went to
bed, | heard him say, Mamma, think Sun
days real nice
= | tell you, neighbor, to get the full bene-
fit of Sunday, we must give as well as take
get hold of somebody, that needs help and
sympathy, and after your soul has been fed
by hearing and reading the gospel, 60 and
Z. IL Al Ill. -.
with you. You won't complain Of stupid
Sundays any more"
| believe neighbor Ringway is right