The Red Cloud chief., 1882-03-02
OCCUPATIONS for Winter Evenings.

In the long winter evenings there are
many hours that can be made most use
full in the household. IL the father and
mother will only adopt some plan of IN
,,ruction and entertainment IN which
all the household can be included. IL
i too much the habit in families, both
IN the country and city. In leave each
member Ia 90 it, WI way. The father
reads his newspaper beside the c"nteE
able. and wishes no disturbance in his
vicinity: the mother. perhaps, i busy
in the nursery with the Younger chill
iren. or engaged in household duties,
or absorbed in the paE''- Of 4 magazine
1r book. and takes httl. heed ot the
occupations Of the older members 81
the family. Perhaps the Young men
seek amuScmcut> abroad. and are al
lowed Ia return home when they please.
unGucStioucd concerning their method
If passing the long evenings. The
older Urls receive their friends IN the
parlor. or gather around the tabl" or
piano. occupied with fancy work OF
music. Each one l. independent OF the
other. and there is no community of in
ItTt-l. WHICH illAh'~ t4'f f''s-'4 ~ t'A4t'
happiness and increases the love of lis
inmates. In families thus managed.
what wonder tl.at the sons seek quc>-
tionablc amu>cmcntS, the daughters
make ill-a>Sortcd marriages and lead
unhappy lives. and the parents find
little happiness i'll their children In
their youth they gave them shelter and
food, and cared for their health; but
they did not interest themselves IN max
inc name hqUpy; they did not give them
real heart love. and teach them that in
their society they could always bc enter
.aincd.
Every evening there should be an
hour given M To the little folks, when
Young and old play together. The
wise man j. he who keeps his child
heart" has been truly said: and the man
who cannot frulic with his children i
really 10 be- piticd. No matter how
high his station, a cool romp i tn" best
exercise for him and for his children.
and the father who joins i'll his Sons
sports. PLAYS football with him. slides
down hill and skates IN the pond, iSthe
father whose old acre i the most ten
derlv cherished. and whose gray head Is
rarely di>honorcd.
Occupations for winter evenings, Of
course. must be varied according - the
circumstances and tastes of the family
but music should have its place in the
home life. whenever il i practicable,
and in that family where the piano l.
always opened and the mother ever
willing to play accomplishments and 10
lead the singing, the happicSt home life
i found. One need not be able In play
or sing scientific music To give pleasure
To children: and If the father i not Will
inc To lend his all To the general enter
tainmcnt he should at least not throw q
wet blanket over those who participate
in it. by Directing 10 the disturbance
they create. The best way not 10 be
disturbed by the noise is To join in the
amuscmcntS: but If Won cannot be 81
unSrliiSh as tn rejoice in the others Joy,
quietly absent Yourself from their midst.
There are many quiet games which
can he PLAYED in a large family that
are both instructive and amusing. After
the childrcn'S hour of fun. there could
be an hour of reading aloud by some
member or members of the family.
There can be no better way 10 increase
the taste for choice literature than 10y
home reading. whether in Il large OF
small circle. In 4 village. a Young
peoples club could be- formed, Ia meet
once or twice week and take up a
course of reading. either historical or
political. or in general literature. Hall
a dozen or Il dozen Young ladies and
Gentlemen would find such a way Of
passing an evening quite rs entertain
in%lv aS II it were spent in silly ~Convcr~a.
ton on dress. fashion and gossip. Read
in~ aloud is Il charming accomplishment
when one cXcclS in il, and by practice
almost every one can succeed in II. ana
take turns in the reading. In Il circle
of old friends of my acquaintance. some
of them high in the iifticS. reading
aloud while the Others worked. has been
a practice for = g a third of a century.
and the most charming hours Of THEN
lives. outside their families. have beer
passed in this manner; and many a his
torical work, many a biography, anC
many a noteworthy novel. have beer
read by them. and are always closely
associated with each other.
The reading club need not be given
mp wholly To the Young people. but the
middle-agcd and the old will also FIND
them a delightful entertainment in the
long snowy. dark evenings, when the
monotonv of home life seems almost I'M.
hcarahlc. and the sevcn evenings of the
week are looked forward To with almost
dread. n they must be passed 50 stu
pidlv. The evening paper once read
patcrfamiliaS falls asleep beside the fire
the kitten purrS upon the hearth rug
and the dog sleeps oil the door mat,
while the mother clicks her knitting
needles and sorts her woods, and chides
the children if they are too noisy ir
their PLAYS: and so the dull evening
drag> along. until the father arouSes
himself and thinks il i almost bedtime,
and the mother puts away her knitting
BAG or her mcnding-baSkct and rcjoiccs.
Are not many hours Of the winter even
inrs wasted. or passed in such monot.
onous occupations that the mind fairly
rusts out before the body wears out?-