The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1877-02-01
Evening at Home.

The long evenings now at hand will
bring to every wail-mlnaged home the ques-
ton, w hat shall we do for entertainment"
40 household is properly conducted where
IN there are no hours set apart for recrea-
ton, and the evening hours are best fitted
for this duty. Duty may seem an inap-
propriate word applied to amusement bat
he who neglects it fails to cultivate that
part of himself which very greatly brightens
his own life and that Of his fellows The
nan who never condescends to amusement
is like dry timber compared with living
tree crowned with flowers and fruit
But the day has well nigh passed when
apologies are needed for enjoyment, and
when recrertions are considered at best as
venal sins. Human nature has happily
been too strong for ascetic creeds the new
wine would not remain confined in the old
| bottles and the question is not may We,
but how shall we best amuse ourselves.
Just word here to the faithful, patient,
loving and conscientious parents who will
lngly extend their hours OF toll through the
| day and into the night, and who cannot,
they say, fad time for anything but work.
Better a hundred times that there be a few
dollars less for the children, less Of fine
clothing, or Of dainties on the table, than
that young people, weared with the eternal
round Of work, should pine for freedom
away from home, and lose no opportunity
| for escaping where there is something to
/ enjoy should learn the sweets Of forbidden
fruit, and away from the loving influences
of home should be led to folly, dissipation
and ruin. There is 10 important work to
! be done at home than to amuse your chill
! dren and yourself take time for it, as you
do for preparing the food or mendin5 the
/ clothing. Joining the children in passing
| the evening hours will freShen your own
life, make you more companionabe and
sympathetic with them, inspire and strcng-
then their confidence, and make it unneces-
sary for them 10 90 abroad for their enjoy
ment. Children may and should feel that
there is indeed no place ike home.
Among the first Of home attractions is
music. If the piano or organ cannot be af
forded, the flute or violin may and at any
rate there may be singing which is best ol
all. Music books are cheap, and any one
| WHO can learn 10 Jdih can learn 10 sing.
Among the happiest recollections of after
! years will be the hours when all voices were
blended in the evening song, when discords
of feeling were soothed and banished care
was forgotten, and for little time higher
| life was lived The home reading circle
should be made attractive with bright pa
pers and magazines Let each be permit
ted to make selections, and all encouraged
! to remark. criticise and comment. 1t will
| greatly aid the art Of conversation, which
in these days certainly needs cultivation,
and save immense waste of breath over
trash and scandal. Then there are plenty
of entertaining games. Those who fear the
influence of cards-ana there are objec-
tions to their use, they are too fascinating
can find plenty of unobjectionable games
especially designed for home use. The
good old "stand-bys," checkers and chess
will have an honored place. Such amuse-
ments interspered occasionally with regu-
lar ''gale" of romps to give vent to youth
ful spirits, will do for the rooms of many a
household, now somber and glum, what a
woodbinc or clinging rose does for the
weather bearen porch-make it beautiful
and attractive and teach the children tc
! love their home