River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-11-08
Home Amusements.

A close observer of American life said
to us the other day that a great change
had come in the last ten years to the
home life of the country. And in an
swer to our interrogation, he proceeded
to point out the character of this change.
One point which he made was that
great many games of skill and chance
were being played in New England
homes to-day, which were not known, or
if known, were forbidden by parents ten
years ago. Our own observation coin
cides with his on this point. We know
that chess within the last ten years has
captured for its self high place in pop
ular regard. 1t speaks well for people
when such an intellectual game can be-
come popular. For it takes brains to
play chess even moderately well, and
none but clever and thoughtful people
would ever like it. We notice also that
cards are no longer abjured as they once
were in households. Whist and euchre
are domiciled, to-day, in homes where,
decade ago, their names could not have
been spoken safely save in a whisper.
Checkers are not perhaps universal, but
they are more fashionable They have
fought their way into high life; and
whereas they once found their friends in
the village tavern and in the farmers
kitchen, they arc now admitted into the
parlors of the wealthy and refined. The
games played with historical cards are
also numerous, and many of them pleas
antly exciting. And you find them IN
almost every household.
Now all this is very pleasant and hope
full. 1t revealed to the thinker the fact
that home life is more vivacious and
happy than it used to be; that the long,
dull evenings are being enlivened with
sprightly and stimulating amusements
and that the home circle is charged with
attractions which it once sadly lacked.
These games are helping to make the
homes of the country happier, helping to
make the children more contented with
their homes, and in doing this they are
helping to make the country more intel
ligent and more virtuous. By wise pa
rents these games are looked upon as es-
sential. They help solve the problem of
home amusements and recreation; and
| this, as all parents know, is one of the
gravest problems they have to solve.
/ Parents, make your homes as happy as
you possibly can for your children and
their mates. Fill them with fun and
I frolic and the cheerfulness OF spirited
social life. Play these games with your
children yourselves. and thus share their
Joys with them; and feed your happiness
on the spectacle of theirs. A great
many homes are like the frame of harp
that stands without strings. In form
and outline they suggest music; but no
melody rises from the empty spaces; and
thus it happens that home is uIattractive,
dreary and dull. Let us hope that this
introduction of pleasant games-which
try both the wit and patience of the chill
dren, and of the older ones too for that
matter,-may become the fashion of the
times, until every home in the land shall
be perfectly furnished with these acces-
series of profit and pleasure. For the
children 5 sake, let reformation go on I'M
/ til every child shall have, in his father 5
house, be it humble or costly. such ap-
pliances and helps for his entertainment
that he shall find his JOY under his faith
ers roof and in his mothers presence
I Golden Rule.