The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-02-06
HABIT.

HABIT.
) The power of habit is some
thing of which we are every day
: conscious. Though so much ha,
} been said and written concerning
, it, We need still -'line upon line
lprecept upon precept, here little
and there a" great deal to keep in
our minds the Importance of form
ing in our children and strength
ening in ourselves good habits
1t is so difficult to break up long
Established modes of action, and
turn the channels of ones activ-
tiles in new directions, that it is
not surprising the mature in life,
who have suffered from not being
started right in the first place,
should lay, as they are inclined to,
great stress on the Importance of
making in all things a good begin
ming.
There are 4 few habits which
form pretty good foundation for
success in life and ensure the
friendship of the discerning and
virtuous. First among these we
would place the habit of self-help.
This may and should be formed
in child before it can walk and
talk by providing resources for its
amusement and leaving it, 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 and young
momen perfectly helpless for sll
the ordinary uses of life. II they
alone were the sufferers it wouldn't
matter much, but they are social
leeches, always demanding service
and never rendering it. Good
husbands, good wives, good pa
rents 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 tidiness. We do not
care to guess how many American
men and women. sit down to break
fast every morning with their tot
lets half made, the men without
collar and cravat, the women with
unkempt hair, and the children re-
sembling the parents in dress as
much as in feature. 'sBut you see
there are so many things to do in
the morning-stock to feed, cows
to milk, fires to make, milk to
skim, children to dress, breakfast
to get-that one can't spend much
time fixing themselves up" All
very true; but one doesn't go
round barefooted in the morning,
or without washing face and
hands, because a habit the reverse
of all that has been formed. my
hair is combed in the morning for
all day before 1 leave my cham
ber," 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 particu-
lar of seeing her every morning
for twenty years with smoothly
combed hair, and neat linen collar,
opposite him at the breakfast ia
BILE, and of the order and cleanli-
ness in the household of which
the one little item was an index.
That cleanliness is next to godli-
ness" should be early and deeply
impressed on every child. and it
should be taught to shrink from
oil y,lS-a.- 8
shrinks from vice.
Another habit OF great value Is
that of courtesy. If q child is
properly trained to ask for what
he wants and make meet acknowl-
edgements for tavors received, to
recognize the rights and respect
the feelings of others, he 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 children are but the re-
Election of courteous parents.
Genuine courtesy flows out from
the heart and can never be put on
as an outside garment.
Another excellent habit is that
of helping others. In fact we are
in the world for the express pur-
pose of doing that very thing, and
if we fail in this, it matters little
to any but ourselves how long we
remain here. 1t is natural
for the loving parent to do
everything for his child and
require nothing in return, but the
sooner the child is taught to deny
himself in order to serve others,
his parents, his brothers and sis
tiers, the more certainly will what
ever is noble in him be developed.
We are all selfish enough, and
there are very few who are not
improved by having their impulses
of benevolence stimulated.
The habit of improving ones
time is of Importance that can
hardly be overestimated. Not
that children should work all the
time, but that they should spend
very few hours in mere idleness
and time killing. One occupation
should succeed another, SO as to
give due variety and exercise the
mental and bodily powers in har-
lmony. Idle children are apt to
make idle grown folks, and there
are too many drones in society for
its good, as we all know.
i The last habit we will mention
is that of perseverance. Life
! from beginning to end is full Of
obstacles to be overcome, of prob.
lens to be solved, of mountains tc
be tunneled and valleys to be fill
ed up, and we can hardly begin
too soon our endeavors to master
destiny. He that overcomes il
, little will overcome much. A
: child should not be given tasl
r beyond his powers, but within
g that limit No should he ronuifpf