The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-11-19
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.

For the CITIZEN.
Why should some people in grow
| ing old forget that they were once
young, become morose, ice-bound
in their sentiments, peck-measured
in their judgements, keeping cross
eyed, solemn watch over the young
people, magnifying their faults, If
they have them, and criticising
mercilessly all that come within the
range of their vision? The girls,
they must be as staid and dignitied
as old Lots wife after her saline
metamorphosis; and the boys as
sober and fossilized as the poor
toad shut up in the heart of tree,
or they will be done to death by
cruel criticisms.
am certain there is no surer
way to injure young people than by
restricting them too severely or be-
ing Indifferent to the necessity Of
amnsements that will contribute TO
brighten life's path and relieve it of
many heavy burden. They must
have amusements, genial society
and legitimate gayety or the conse-
quences will be a dwarfed mind as
well as body. "They say" the
young people mustn't do this, nor
they mustn't do that, because it is
wrong and wicked-but they must
do this and they must do that be-
cause it is right and proper. If
you would make them better, give
them more enjoyment. Light upI
your parlors, throw open your doors,
invite them to come, give them a
hospitable welcome and show them
that you feel an interest in their
welfare, in their joys, their disap
pointments, their hopes, their sor-
rows, and thus develop in their
hearts what DIR. Chalmers has very
philosophically called, "the impul-
sive power of a contrary affection"
By this courtesy and sympathy you
can help them in a thousand ways.
To scorn a mean action, to scorn to
be fatterers, liars, toadys, to scOrn
to bend to Mammon in servile sy-
cophancy-but to the great God to
whom alone we should bow in Wor-
ship and alteration.
Censure and merciless condemna-
ton of the faults of young people
only serve to drive them from you
and thus defeat the very end with
your thin wisdom, morbid morality,
jaundiced views and want of proper
sympathy that should be you: pray
full aim to accomplish-the good of
both body and soul.
tLife has but one youth"
You who take gloomy views
from your corner-of life, and
"Would minister to mind diseased"
\
"Cleanse the stuff d bosom of that
perilous stuff" open your doors to
the young people, let them poar into
your homes like Gods greet sun
light and warm up your lives with
the emembTance of your own
haIcyon days. Never mind your
soft wiltons, your beautiful axmin-
sters, the displacing and handling
Of your choice volumes with thin
rich bindings slowed away in your
libaries; your mirrors from floor to
ceiling, your bronzes, your marble
statuetts, your stone cameo medal
lions of great men that adorn your
center tables, your turkish chairs,
your luxurious sofas, your pictures,
your fountains with their spray of
perfUmed waters falling amidst the
opaline tinted shells of the sea, etc.
Let them come. "One act of love
each day." was the maxim of the
good Lavater.
Turn back, matrons, to your
younger days, when you were as
gay as a butterfly kissing a rose
and as sportive as the dark eyed
gazelle, and determine for the sake
of that sweet memory to contribute
to the young peoples endowment.
And you, of sterner mould, whose
once proud athlete forms are losing
their heroic lines, bending over the
column of figures, puzzling brain
and wearying life prematurely into
the ''sear and yellow leaf, for
dross. Stop! Go back to the morn
ing of your manhood; think of how
you loved pleasure and ''taffy'' and
help the young people get their
share. Oh! the sunshine bright
and peaceful of hope and love it
will send into your hearts, exorcis-
ing discomfort from your hearth
stones and WEAKNESS from your
lives. Invite them to come and
come again. Invite them with a
hearty good Will and make them
happy and at home in your house.
Try it! See if their presence does
not roll the stone of Sisyphus from
your numbed hearts! Awaken the
music long silent in pour being and
your pulses dance to it through all
the myriad halls of life!
Remember what Lavater says
about zone act of love" Try it
and see if there is anything
"Half 50 sweet in life''
as bestowing happiness.
EsTELLE VEHsE.
NJ 1e IQQR