Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-06-01
The Uses OF Change.

THERE are one or two mistakes in the
management of house and children which
are oftenest made in notably "welI-or-
dered Christian families" especially in
those living in the country, or in quiet
inland towns, where they are exposed to
little friction with the outside world. The
first is a hatred of change. The Squire
and his wife married late, perhaps; but,
in any case, have hardened and settled
down into certain admirable habits be-
fore the young people arrive at their
teens. They cannot understand why these
old ways should not be always admira-
BILE; nor why, when the old ways are
suited to their own middle-age, like any
well-woven, comfortable garment, they are
heavy iron yokes and bonds to uproari-
Gus Tom, and even to gentle Susy. For
example, the same dishes appear on the
table the year round; mother cannot
guess why father and the boys relish even
an ill-cooked meal away from home, and
have no appetite for the everlasting beef
and apple pie, or mutton hash, which she
Der. She is her own seamstress, too,
most probably, and cuts and trims the
girls dresses and boys coats after some
occult designs of her own. The more de-
vout she is, or separated by high thoughts
or past sorrows from worldly affairs, the
more trivial do such matters appear to her,
and the less likely is she to sympathize
with Jenny's pangs as the girls giggle at
her queer polonaise, or Ted's rage of NOR
LITIGATION as the boys pursue him with
yells OF Shoot the hat!''
We should live above our clothes or
food, she wisely says, not seeing that she
is willtully making clothes and food the
objects of Importance and perpetual I'M
easy anxiety to her children. She is slow,
too, to perceive any necessity for change
in her habits of visiting or receiving Wis
its. Jenny and Ted yawn through the
the monthly sewing circle, or the tea
drinkings, where the doctrine of election,
or the iniquities of ancient Popes, are
freely discussed; but it is a long time be-
fore their mother yields to their demands
for tea-drinkings or circles Of their own.
1t seldom occurs, too, to this class of
par-n.S that the minds of their children
require absolute change of place, range
of thought and companions. Travel is
the very last way in which the average
farmer will spend money for his family.
If somebody has to 60 to the county town
to invest his savings, or sell his wheat,
and his Oldest son can be trusted, we'll and
good; that is enough " outing for the
boy, and the old man prefers to sit in his
own chimney corner, and wants no wider
view than his own fields. If he were told
that the fireside, from sheer monotony,
had become hateful to his children, and
the home hills an intolerable wall which
barred them from the unknown world, he
would declare them either insane or under
the dominion of the devil The BOYS
usually manage to find their way out to
the world; but unless the girls marry,
they are stranded on the barren beach of
home. Nobody who does not know what
life is in this class of farm or village
houses car imagine how barren a home
may be.
There are at this day thousands of sim
gle, middle-aged women in the West or
South to whom the sea or mountains, or
the sea- board cities, are as vague and de-
sirable objects OF longing as heaven it
self. They live with their mothers, per
haps, who are afectionate and tender, but
who never guessed at the restless discon
tent which might have been satisfied by
few short, inexpensive journeys. 1t
would be worth while for every mother