The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-04-02
The Father at Home.

Some fathers fail to gain their child
ren's confidence by an apparent lack
of sympathy. On the other hand few
Young people ever take the trouble to
put themselves in their fathers place
to imagine how he must feel this or
that behavior, how a disrespecttul
word or look insults him, or how vol
untary confidence is priced by him.
There are many things, no doubt, which
bows and girls do not care to speak OF
before their father; but they do not
know how hurt PGter famatttds feels
when a conversation is stopped upon
his entering the room, when he is made
to feel that he is not one of the circle
that he is power to be respected ana
propitiated, but no more.
Very often man has himself to blame
for this state of things, but not always.
Often it is mere love of secrecy which
makes girls especially exclude their
father as much as possible from
knowledge of their doings, their friends,
their comings and goings, their fears
and hopes. With some this reticence
may be necessary. Condolences would
only be met with suspicion or blame or
ridfcule. But most men have tender
spot in their hearts, even for the weak
ness and foolishness of ''their own
flesh" and feel panied when they are
silently condemned as unworthy OF
confidence. PGter fdnliliGS may be too
proud to show that he feels hurt. he
may wrap himself up in his dignity and
effect contempt for the tritiing con-
Germs of the girls; he may even repel
the first advances, but his heart may be
exclaiming bitterly against the GOODNESS
| and hardness which excludes him from
the knowledge of his daughters mind
| and heart which is given to half doz-
en- school girl friends.
A girl owes much to her father, even
| if he has not been all to her that a par
| ent should be. He has had to work
hard. very probably, that her bread
and butter might be secure. He has
borne cares, anxieties, struggles
temptations, at which she can bu
i puess-of which she can form no rea
| Conception. If he is hard and eros:
and unsympathetic some allowance To-
| the nervous irritation of an overworkeC
or anxious man may surely be made
and girl never, we believe, has an,
| conception how precious she is in he
fathers eyes. Rough words and COLI
or angry looks may seem to disprove 1t
but it is true nevertheless. More even
| In sense imam LIS vic, Sno appeal
to his protective care. He may scol'
or slight her, but let any real harm
threaten her and she will see that t
touch her is to touch the apple of al
eye. The day comes, no doubt, whe
her allegiance and sympathy are trans
ferred TO another, in right OF q sta
higher claim.
There is little wonder if poor pate
fdnatiiGs looks askance on him at mrs
and is slow to admit that he is the on
at whose coming his reign must END
1t is the way of nature, and it must b
so. But it is hard. A father otte
loses more on his daughters marriag9
than her mother does. MY daughter
my daughter all her life" But tn
fathers right changes entirely whe
/ the ring is put on the finger. Till II
fairy prince comes, then, let pdter Il
: nlilids be considered and deferred t.
and, if necessary. humored- Let hi
not be made TO feel that bare duty is
3 be paid to him. Let him not feel hin
/, | self stranger in his own house. II
> many little sacrifice, many a gent
or patient word, unnoticed, unacknow
edged at the time, and soon forgotte
bv her who renders it, lives in the mel
| ory of him who receives Ii.