South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1874-03-20
Home Interests.
HABIT.

/ II, we need still line upon line, precept up
on procept, here little and there a great
I deal to keep in our minds the importance
Of forming in our children and strengthens
ing 10 ourselves good habits. 1t is so diff.
fcult to break up long established modes
Of action, and turn the channels of ones
activities in new directions, that il is not
surprising the mature in life, who have suf-
fered from not being started right in the
FIRST place, should lay, as they are inclined
to, great stress on the importance Of MAX
ing in all things good beginning
There are a few habits which form a
pretty good foundation for success in life
and insure the friendship of the discerning
and virtuous First among these we would
place the habit Of self help. This may aud
should be formed in a child, before ii can
walk or talk, by providing resources for it's
amusement aud leaving il, within due
bounds, to depend upon those resources.
Then as it grows older it should be taught
and gently compelled to perform in its own
behalf all that it can do. Few of US but
know young men aud young women per-
fectly helpless for all the ordinary uses of
life. If they alone were the sufferers it
wouldn't matter much, but they are social
leeches, always demanding service ard new
er rendering it. Good husbands, good
wives, GOOD parents rarely, if ever, ARE found
in this class of people.
Next IN importance to the habit of self
help we would place that of personal ,idi.
ness We do not care to guess how many
American men and women set down to
breakfast every morning with their toilets
halt made, the men without collar and era
vat, the women with unkempt hair, and
the children resembling the parents in dress
as much as Ia feature. Bot you see there
are so many things to 90 ia the morning
stock TO feed, COWS to milk, fires to make,
milk to skim, children to dress, breakfast
to get-that one cant spend much time FIX
ing themselves up All very true but one
doesn't 60 round barefoo'ed in the morning,
or without washing face i hands, because a
habit the reverse of all that has been form
ed. My hair Is combed in the morning
ior all day before leave my chamber, said
an elegant housekeeper the other day, and
she keeps no girl, and we couldn't help
thinking the happiness her husband must
have had just In the one particular of see
ing her every morning for twenty years
With smoothly combed hair AID neat linen
collar, opposite him at the breakfast table,
and of the order and cleanliness 10 the
household of which that oue little item was
an index That cleanliness is next 10
godliness,' should be early and deeply i'm
pressed on every child, and il should be
taught to shrink from uncleanness and un-
tidiness as it shrnks from vice.
Another habit of great valuo is that Of
courtesy. 1T a child is properly trained to
ask for what be wants aud make meet &C
acknowledgements for favors received, to re.
cognize the rights and respect tho feelings
Of Others, be will be able to win friends no
matter what other faults he may have. This
habit he will acquire, or absorb, rather,
from those around him. Courteous child.
rem are but the reflection of courteous pa
rents. Genuine courtesy flows out from
The heart and can never be put on as an out
side garment.
AGOther excellent habit is that of help.
ing others. In fact we are in the world
Tor The express purpose Of doing that very
thing, and If We fail ia this il III alters little
to any but ourselves how long We remain
here. Ii is natural for the loving parent
to do everything for bis child and require
nothing IN return, but the sooner the child
is taught to deny himself n order to serve
others, bis parents, bis brothers and sisters.
the more certainly will whatever is noble
/ in him be developed We are all self b
enough, and there arc very few who arc not
improved by having their impulses Of be.
nevoleuce stimulated.
| The habit Of improving ones time is Of
Importance that can hardly be over esti-
mated. Not that children should work sll
| the time, bat that they should spend very
/ few hours 10 mere idleness aud time-killing.
/ Oue occupation should succeed another. 80
as 20 give due variety and exercise the
mental snd bodily powers in harmony. J..
die children are ap. to make idle grown
7 folks, and there arc TOO many dronos in 90.
cleiy for its good, as We al know.
The last habit we will montion is that Of
persevcrauce Life, from beginning 70 end,
is full ct obstacles % be overcome, Of prob
lens 60 be solved, Of mountains TO bo tun-
neled aud valleys % be filed up and wo
can hardly begin too soon 10 our endeavors
70 master destiny. lie that overcomes in
little will overcome in much. A child
should not be given q task beyond bis DOW.
ers, but within that limit be shoule be re-.
quired 90 DO what is assigned him. The
Stimulus Of praise or reward will often be
sufficient TO secure The performance Of
given labor, slough the pain Of cousuro
may sometimes be necessary.
With these habits Of self-help. personal
tIdiness, courtesy, helping others, improv.
lng ones time, aud perseverance,, il matters
little bow poor in purse an individual moy
be left, be or she will possess a buovaDt
power that will raise them above adveysi-