Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-09
Mems Part i'm Home Making,

| Most Of the preachments we have
seen from the text of happy homes
have been aimed at the women. This
is natural CROUCH for they are the
hom e-makers Of the world; and in a
future number we shall "join in the
chorus" and also say something to the
young folks about their part in a
work from which no responsible mem
Der Of the family can be excused. But
just now we desire to nudge the heads
of the households, and ask them how
they are performing their responsible
part in the realm of home. Their forte
lies in breathing and enjoying the at
mOsphere after somebody else has made
it-and not few can't get along and
make know their authority without
"raising a breeze" in it. Men are toe
busy, too much pre-occupied, too inn
patient and thoughtless, and-it must
be said of some Of them-too selfish to
do their fair share Of that pre-eminent-
ly millennial work, the creating of a
happy home, wherein love reigns su-
preme, and amiability, affection cheer
fitness, JOY and peace are the natural
Conditions Of family life. .q.
r. Now in certain things man has been
constitutional shirk from the time of
Adam-if the scientific gentleman
have left us any Adam-down to this
day. Men will fight for their homes,
and make slaves of themselves to their
business to maintain them but like the
prorerbial man who would die for wo-
man but would never bring up scuttle
of coal; they can't tell what their children
are studying at school, who their mates
are, what they are learning of good or
evil, nor hardly anything else that a
father ought to know concerning his
offspring. It is SO sad fact as to spoil
the satire, when it is said that many a
father finds his Sundays and holidays
too few to enable him to g become &C
quainted with his boys" But we main
tain that man who HASN'T time to be q
father to his children, with all that in
cludes, has no right to have any. He
wrongs them, robs himself, puts an I'M
just responsibility upon the mother,
and neglects his highest duties, human
and divine 20
There are SO many ways in which q
father may contribute to happy home
life that it seems strange the number
of houses should so greatly exceed the
home. Ittakes SO little to make children
happy at home, that it is a wondrous
pity so many little ones are miserable,
or uneasy, or discontented. If for an
hour after the evening meal the father
should give himself to his children,
would the mother wear out so fast, or the
children be so laWless, troublesome and
uncomfortable? What ministry for
good to both parties is papa's frolic
with the babies! What an interest is
added to the books, the drawings, the
games, Or even the studies if the father
enters into them!
Aside from the children, and in homes
where haply there are none, men still
have a more direct part than most of
them are ready to bear, in making the
daily life pleasant. We hardly need
say that man should set the example
for the family in patience, cheerfulness,
amiable moods and graces that are the
soul Of home happiness. The sort of
men who display all their suavity and
politeness on the street or at their
business places, and save the storms,
and sulks, and sourness, and all the evil
brood Of devilish dispositions that they
characterize by theconvenient euphem-
ism of moods well we have our
opinion Of them! and if they will come
within range we don't mind expressing
it privately; but we are afraid it
wouldn't look well in print!
The whole tribe of home tyrants-
men who make the entire household