Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-11-24
Family Letters.

When John and Mary leave home 10,
school or to go into business, the inter-
course between them and the circle they
leave must be continued, il at all, by the
interchange OF letters. These messen-
gers are the shuttle that still weaves the
fabric OF family affection across what
ever space may be between those who
have parted. And curious as it may
seem, sometimes finer fabric is woven
by letters than by personal association.
The timid, the reticent, the self-con-
tanned, often express themselves more
freely with the pen than with the
tongue, and entrust to the sealed let
ter expressions they would hesitate to
use If speaking. Many boy and girl
feel better acquainted with their father
and mother after corresponding with
them year than if they had been for
the time associated personally together.
With others, absence from home sun
ders for the time all communication,
and only memory keeps alive the flame
OF family affection 1t is great task
for some people to write, a task they
cannot easily bring themselves to per-
form Hands at home with the hoe and
the hammer, the axe and the trowel,
the broom and the churn-handle, find
the pen quite too slender tool to be
managed lily, and the forming of SEN
fences and the phrasing of ideas awk-
ward work. But even with these habit
and custom would make letter writing
easy.
What to write is the great question.
10 answer it, one needs to put himself
into the place of the person to whom
the letter is to be sent. When John is
away from home, what il he most de-
sirous OF hearing about? What does
Mary care most to knowp Should they
come home what would be the first
questions they would ask with their
eyes, their ears, their lipsp We ask
many questions with our ears that we
do not choose to phrase in look or
word; we wait to hear things said that
are often of vital Importance to us, but
of which we would not speak for the
world. If we can thus form an idea of
what John wants to hear and what
Mary is most interested to know, it is
then easy enough to think what to write
And when John and Mary write
home what shall they sayp just what
thCil PdlCutS dlC uiOSb SOllClJOuS W
know about them-their surroundings,
their successes, their hopes, their dis
appointments, their friends, their OBJ
servations and experiences. SO can
their parents know just how it is with
them and keep exact reckoning of their
latitude and longitude on the chart of
life.
Those who have been away from
home in early life know how cheering
and stimulating are cheerful, sunny
letters from home: letters assuring
them of constant love and rcmem-
brance. and breathing an atmosphere
of trust and confidence in the absent
ones. They may know. some of them
at least, how dark the world seems
when their nearest friends appear cold,
indi ferent, and even doubtful of their
go I'd intentions. The world is very
frigid and dark plqce outside of the
home circle, and when boy or girl
goes aStray there is little danger that
censure will not be quick to put fin
ge.' Oh the error. If in such an hour
the home is 70 nj a place of refuge
an forgiveness, and letters from home
are winning and encouraging and per-
suasive, rather than severe and censo-
rious, further error may be prevented.
The love of God is tn. salvation of the
world. The love of the parent is the
salvation of the child. .341 I+l
Those who have children away from
home know hoy eager every word
they send back is scanned, how the let
tiers ale read and re read, till the mood
of the writer and his intellectual and
moral tone are caught: how What is
no. said becomes equally significant
with what is said. and the handwriting
is made to tel all it can Of the cOndi-
ton of the writer (and it can tell
good deaD, and how when all that can
be CLEANED is cleaned, the parent longs
COR one look at the child to supplement
the Information in the letter, and as
sure hi'nse that his child is al right.
Boys and gr's away from home can
not realize The tender solicitude which
follows their every movement Per-
haps it is well they cailnot.-M Y.
Tribune.
Eytv.ovO uaa NJ Surafarn