The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-03-13

I In addition to the interest we should al
WAYS feel and exhibit in our children We
! should exhaust what ingenuity we may have
to make our homes attractive and pleasant to
them disappointment would surely follow
any effort we might make to educate and re-
fine them If our homes were the constant
scene of toll and drudgery without any at
tractive or cheerful surroundings We must
rive them time for their rompS and plays
time to read and think, and must always IN
terest ourselves in the character of the works
10 be read The world is full OF books. TIE
average lifetime is short, and no one who eX.
poets to reach any great degree OF culture ana
scholarly attalnments Will have much 10
throw away upon worthless and often inJurl-
GUS books. We can only read small pro
portion of the really good ones and ought to
give little time to the trashy and worthless.
The children must enjoy the dement's OF
society. Our farm houses are far apart anu
our intercourse with the outside world is
much restricted as compared with the resi-
dents of the towns and cities. This gives us
the opportunity, in great degree, 10 select
their associates and place them WIN inc Wor-
thy and respectable.
Children who are feared at home, without
the benefits of society, are al great ulsad'
vantage to their after intercourse with tAe
world None but the really gifted ever re-
cover from it, and acquire that ease and grace
of manner and department which should ever
characterize persons OF culture and refine
ment. You will see them awkward in their
movements, and unfortunate in their utter.
ances and often so bashtul that they almost
dread to be noticed or spoken to in company.
How our pity is excited when we sec the
hot blood mount to the cheek of the sensi'
az. La, IF biS cpinncppSS pt
'greenness while in company. We cannot
help feeling like he had been cruelty wrong
ed, all unconsciously by those who would not
for the world have wronged him had they
known it.
While our children are under our home
care and instruction they should be well
warned against the allurements of the vices
and folles, the receptions and intrlgues, the
shams and makebelieves which they will
have to encounter in the outer world, They
should be taught what 1t takes to constitute
true character and true worth. Impress them
with the fact that 'Tis not all gold that gilt
ters'
Aside from the general education which all
should have, our children should be taught
the theory and practice Of our occupation
To successfully prosecute general farming
and stock raising no little study and thought
are required. System in laying out the
various fields ard pastures, orchards, gar
dens, walks, &c, should be studied and taught
to the children. Every boy before he leaves
the old homestead should be competent to
plan farm and arrange Its various features
tor himself.
Especially must the subject of hedging
and tree planting, and kindred subjects, be
well considered because in this we are per
| forming the noblest part of our whole work
that part which, while paying us fully fol-
our labor, is to go down as blessing to pos
terity, ii we have exercised wisdom in oui
plans and execution.
), Household duties in their endless variety
/ family dairylng and kindred subjects, II us
be taught 50 that our daughters, though ever
so highly educated, can with their own hands
meet the varied wants of the family. Every
one of them, however wealthy their parents
may be, should be so educated as to enable
her to preside with credit to herself over the
kitchen, dining-room or parlOr
! We have not occupied subordinate posi-
tons IL society because of any natural inte
riority on our part, but because we were con
tent to plod along in the footprints OF oul
[ fathers, lifting up and sustaining others II
commanding positions while we REMAINED
uncultured and retiring. This course mus
be pursued no further. We produce the wealth
of the country. Our calling is the nobest o
them'all Oar habits Of life tend to the de
velopment both of body and mind, and no
thing but liberal education and culture i
necessary to place us the equals at least
any other class.