Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-04-01
What Children Do For Us.

them IN consequence; but it is useful to
us at times to look at the other side of
the question and see what children do for
their parents, and not for their parents
alone but for the world at large
| Take the cases of unmarried men and
women, or OF married men and women
VINO have no children, and we shall see
what an utterly joyless world this is to
them-how destitute of all the saving in
fiuences which follow in the train of a
| newborn child.
1t Is true that they do not always know
II; true that they sometimes congratulate
! themselves upon the freedom which the
absence OF responsibility gives to them.
But what does this freedom do for them?
II they do not use it in caring for those
| who have none to care for them it simply
| lncloses them in a wall of seltishness. 1t
allows them to indulge their own whims
and fancies to their own destruction, and
| deprives them at the last of all the con-
solutions which spring from participation
in family life and consciousness of duty
well performed
Children are really all there is in life
worth living for. There are many other
things which are pleasant in it, there are
many things which give zest to it, there
are many things which seem necessary
as relief from the absorbing care which
the rearing of family of children
brings, but none present sufficient mo-
tive for continued effort or sacrifice; and
if it were not for children, therefore,
much of our stimulus to exertion would
be taken away and the most imperative
work of the world remain unperformed.
Because the father supplies the food,
because the mother prepares it in man
ner suitable for the growth of their
bodies, we consider all the obligation is
on one side. But to how many hungry
hearts has the love of little child been
nourishment and consolation and sup
port? How many would have fallen by
Indifference or through temptation if the
necessities of little child had not with
held them?
People who avoid children for the sake
of getting rid of responsibility find IN
time that they have missed the pleasures
only, not the cares, and but few of the
pains. Association with our fellows en-
tails certain burdens and obligations up
on all of us, and if we have not volun-
tarily assumed any Of our own we shall
find them thrust upon us and be obliged
to carry the weight without the happi-
ness of strong incentive in the nearest
and dearest of earthly ties.
Childless men and women very often
console themselves with the reflection
that children are as likely to turn out
i'll as well; that time and strength and
money are frequently wasted upon them,
and, therefore, might as well be saved or
put to other use. But physical science
is beginning to show us that cause and
effect act as directly in the production of
the human species as in any other
phenomena of nature and that care and
cultivation bestowed upon naturally
good qualities produce as fine results
among men and women as upon fruit
farm.
If this were not the case, however, if
the results were dependent upon chance,
n.en and women ought still to accept
the duty of rearing children for their
own sakes.
The woman knows nothing of the pos
sibilities of her womanhood, the man of
his manhood, until they are discovered
n the strength of the love, the efforts,
the sacrifices mot felt as SUCH which are
exercised and made for little children.
Is there any pride equal to that which
the father feels in the growing daughter?
Is there any love equal to that which the
mother knows when little hands clasp
her and soft cheek lays its velvet
against her own?
Friends may grow cold, ambition may
be disappointed, slanderous tongues may
poison your good name, and though all
are felt more or less, yet home and the
love and confidence of children are a
sure and certain refuge, harbor from
the storm, inexpressibly comforting and
consoling to the weary and abused man,
the heartsore and neglected woman.
But it is not for their simple faith and
trust alone that we should value children.
They deserve cultivation; they abundant
ly require care and kindness, attention
and the forbearance which it is necessary
to exercise toward their immaturity and
want of judgment. Our leisure, at least
more of it, should be given to them. We
should take pains to find out what they
think that we may guide them Alright and
teach them to avoid the shoals and quick
sands upon which we perhaps have been
stranded-Hearth and Home.
The Reward of the Single.
THE Chicago Inter-Ocean rises to sug