The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1880-04-08

faced the world, aud we're often foot.
sore, hungry aud roofless who
sshamed to be dependent upon "the
lold folks" left their homes, no,
knowing whittier they went, with q
staff in one hand, aud little bum
dle OF coarse, but clearly liuen iu
the other, aud who are now the own
srs Of houses, lands. aud those much
abused but voly desirable binds"
! In other days young people had
to rough it," They not Only had
10 20 to school, but had to got up
very early in the IN morning. just when
tho sun was peepiug over the tops OF
tho hills, and ia the winter before its
rosy face conll be seen they had to
milk tho cows. aud saw tue wool
land weed tho onions, aud fetch the
water from the well aul very likely
they bad too harl timo of it, aud
too little frolic and, still one caunot
help thinking that such physical ex-
ercse as those tasks involved was a
good antidote TO tho confinement
and studies Of the school, and was
possibly better training for all the
practical purposes of life than base
btll clubs aud croqret parties aui
it may well be that IN robelling and
protesting -as it is right that we
shoull-aglinst the harsh old way
Of bringing children up. We have
swung around tp the opposite ex-
treme, audare in dagger of coidliny
the young people SO much, Of
smoothing their way and making
things 50 easy for them, that they
will be like those puny and delicate
but handsome oaks which We are told
the Chinese raise IN pots. IN their
bot houses, instead of like those
sturdy trees that stand exposed to all
tue storms that blow.
Does the fault lie with the youDg
ones {! Who cannot see that perennial
indulgence, forethought aud care,
carried to excess are sure 10 make
children inefficient aud weak ! There
are many DISTANCES Of parents who
have i'nmol.ted tismselves ON tbs
altar uf love, whNy their kind
ness and self-denial have made their
offspring extremely selfish, exacting,
ani idle. They have acted on tie
principle that nothing could be too
good aud no way to easy for u
child, that no rough breeze must
ever strike his cheek, aud that ha
must be saved from ull unpleasant
tasks.
Parents wear themselves out,
leuy themselves. aud reducs their
Dwn wants to tho miui nun OF bare
rxi.tence,aud succ OF IN maiilug their
children vain and selfish, lacking iu
nerve all vigor, aud Il sJualliied for
hose common duties witch are the
common lot Of all.
Our first aim should he 10 teach
,ur children self-reliancs. o II main
,nxiety should not be to remove all
obstacles aul difIlculties from their
pathway, but TO aid them in dew =
ing their own resources, and 10
encourage them to remove obstacles
and overcome difficulties by and ful
themselves The way mast not be
made too siuoothe, even for young
and tender feet, those fcot will lever
he able to climb "the steep aui
rugged path way up which all
noble livos must ascend. Let there
be plouty Of love aud Tenderness, let
there bs an Abundance Of light anl
Rladness shed around our boys aud
girls but let them be made early
to understand that even love itssli
cannot shield them from unpleasant
and irksome tasks.
Next, in dealing with our children
there should be the most careful
discrimination, painstaking anxiety
to liud out aud cultivate their in,
dividual tastes and gifts.
A child is like "A lump OF clay
which an artist holds in his hand,
and out Of which he can mold II
Mephostopheles or a saint Some
take no special pains to mold this
plastic human clay into lovely shapes
or fine issues. John is treated ex-
actly like James, aud no moro con :
sideration is shown for Mary, tho
sensitive. than for Clara the gay ,
no particular pains taken to find out
the tastes, aptitudes or feelings OF
either. Thus great opportunities
are missed, great injustice done,
great pains inflicted, and the intent
ions of nature violated.
There is no short and easy way
through life. There is no magic
wand to wave away the needful
and the commonplace no sleight
of hand by which we can place
ourselves in perfect or ideal condi'
tions. But the commonest tasks
aud lowest spheres may be beautih,
ed by engaging in them in a noble
way, by realizing that the distant
and the unseen are affected by the
works of our hands and the words
of our lips, and that oil common
things manuel labors and domestic
duties, rightly done, help TO estab-
lish the reign Of health, wholesome
ness, beauty aud truth in the world.