Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-01-19
Keep Together.

This article is intended for families
and members of families, now happily
joined together not only in the bonds
that nature creates, but in mutual con-
fdence and affection. To be "encum-
bered," weighed down, :" "hampered"
by . faaaily, is certainly a limitation to
human freedom; but it is a far less evil
than he endures who has none so re-
lated to him that he naturally loves
them and is beloved by them. If there
is any excuse for human being retiring
to desert, he has it who-without re-
lations-is forced to say: 81 care for
no one and no one cares for me.'
Let it be further stated in this intro
duction, that when we speak of families
we do not mean only groups with ia
Their and mother at the head. There
may be family of brothers and sisters,
without such q center as parents con-
stitute, or such bond as their authori-
ty maintains. Indeed, it is all too often
i'm this transition from the one state to
the other-in other words, when the
head is removed and the family be-
comes republic-that the need of keep
ing together becomes obvious and i'm
peratiVe. Mr.. and Mrs. Temple have
lived together, brought up their family
- to maturity, held q good position among
their friends, and had fair share of
unity and happiness at home. There
were ALWAYS some business anxieties
some bills were running; some liabili-
ties had to be carried by Mr.. Temple.
He had to make the best of things, and
he did so, till death interrupted his
slaudable efforts to edo for' his family.
And now the trouble begins. Mrs.
Temple does not see why she should
not be assured against any risk in the
future. The Oldest son does not see
how he can get chance in life if she is
not willing to take some risk. The
daughters do not feel inclined to leave
their money where it may be lost. The
executors see that trouble is brewing
and decline to act. The lawyers have
to be- consulted by the various parties.
Ths younger SON has friends who tell
him that if he does not look out there
will be nothing for him. There is a
spinster aunt who thought her ''poor,
dear brother" never quite did justice to
her, and she counsels her nieces to stand
up for their rights; which they do. The
result is that all Mr.. Temples affairs
are laid open to world more inquisi-
tive than tender-hearted; good deal
of expense is contracted; the credit OF
the business is impaired; the seeds OF
heart-burnings are sown, and the bitter
harvest is reaped for many a wretched
year; and-last and worst of all-the
inheritance of mutual sympathy and af-
fectionate helpfulness that the Temples
ought to have enjoyed is lost beyond
the power of recall.
How are such things to be avoided
Let US begin with the prevention that is
better than cure. Something can be
done in impressing an unselfish charac-
ter on the children in the nursery. They
can be taught that they are more to one
another than to all the world beside.
They can be made to form the habit OF
studying one another's wishes and Civ.
ING way to one another. The brothers
can be trained to dwell together in unity.
the sisters to delight in one another, in
their brothers and in their home. 1t is
not meant, of course, that this can al.
ways be done equally easily, or equally
successfully.
Something can be done also in taking
the members of a family into the conf.
dence of the head and bringing them
into the confidence of one another. Il