The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1879-12-27
GROWING IN FAMILIES.
More Catching and More to be Dreaded
than Measles.

More Catching and More to be Dreaded
than Measles.
In the generality of families the quality
of harmony is conspicuous by its absence
One may go and stay at any number OF
houses without finding one where perfect
harmony reigns. You may have previously
imagined that the Robinsons were a perfectly
united family, but fortnight spent with
them will probably quite undeceive you, for
there is no way OF getting to know people
| like staying with them for time-not stay
| ing as one of large number of visitors, but
when you are made quite at home and treat
! ed as one of the family.
You then find out all the little daily dis
putes-see the traits of character exhibited
in the home circle that outsiders never dream
of for moment Mr.. Smith is such popu-
| lar man, so much liked at his club and has
so many friends who would be delighted to
do anything to oblige him, but who would be
very much surprised to hear that he can get
into rage at dinner if the joint is overdone.
If you stay in the house you will see this, and
YOU also see in his wife's eyes the tears of
wounded pride at his descending to storm at
her before a visitor. The he will sit silent
and gloomy at the breakfast table because
| that meal is 10 minutes later than usual
These trifes disturb the harmony, and cause
feeling of discomfort throughout the entire
household.
There are few happy places where this
is never the case-where you may spend a
fortnight or three weeks, and when you leave
wonder why you have enjoyed the visit SO
much. 1t is simply because there is nc
discord, no raising of voices in dispute, but
smiles and good humor are the order of the
day.
| If any of our readers possess fowls and
| spend occasionally a few minutes in watching
them, they may have been amused by seeing
how the cock, if he is of an unamiable tenn
per, will give.a vicious peck to one OF the
hens who, not daring to return it, shows her
modification by her fierce dig into the back
of her next neighbor. This one passes it on
again, and so on.
Now this is exactly what happens among
beings of superior order. Mr.. Smith, tC
use a homely phrase, gets out on the wrong
side of the bed in the morning, and grumbles
at his wife because there is button off his
shirt. His wife hears him in silence, but woe
betide the next person that comes in 'her way
| 1t may be daughter who has rendered her.
I self liable to a lecture by lying in bed after
the Z o'clock bell had rang; she is re-
strained by long habit from replying angrily
| to her mother, but she can and does snub bel
little brother so sharply as to make him cry
The harmony is probably gone for the rest O.
the day. 1t is difficult to say where the faul,
lies. Doubtless if any one individual obstin
ately refused to be put out, smiles would bt
restored, but unfortunately people who viii
not be vexed are very rare.
We have heard from most amiable look
ing girl the remark, "My sister and l car
not get on together. We really can not agree
If we were condemned to live together W.
should hate each other" 1t is a sad state o
affairs, but not unfrequently the case. II
all probability both are determined, ant
when their wishes clash neither will Civ
way. If either possessed that much to b.
coveted plishment-the power ofyield
ing with a good grace-all would be well
If the members of household had du
sense of the value of that harmony they Sc
rudely and so frequently dispel they would
make good many sacrifices rather than dis
turb it. As a rule they are such pitiabl.
small things that put people out of temper
things that should be dismissed with laugl
and never seriously considered for an instant
1t seems incredible that human being pos
sessed of powers of mind given to no othe
animal-one of the "lords of creation"-coul
become intensely angry at receiving his turtl
soup without sufficient allowance of gree
fat to please him. But it is so, as any on
given to observing his fellows must kno,
very well. s