Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-10
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 father S place
to imagine how he must feel this or
that behavior, how a disrespectful
word or look insults him, or how vol
untary confidence is priced by him.
There are many things, no doubt. which
boys and girls do not care to speak OF
before their father; but they do not
know how hurt pdter Jdniftids 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 a power 10 be respected and
propitiated, but no more.
Very often a 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 a
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
ridicule. But most men have tender
spot in their hearts, even for the weak
ness and foolishnesS of '.their own
tlesh," and feel panied when they are
silently condemned as unworthy of
confidence. Pater tdmiiias may be too
proud to show that he feels hurt. lie
may wrap himself up in his dignity and
effect contempt for the tritling 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 but
guess-of which she can form no real
conception. If he is hard and cross
and unsympathetic some allowance for
the nervous irritation of an overworked
or anxious man may surely be made,
and girl never. we believe. has any
conception how precious she is in her
faith RS eyes. Rough words and cold
or angry looks may seem to disproye II,
but il is true nevertheless. More even,
in sense, than his wife, she appeals
to his protective care. He may scold
or slight her, but let any real harm
threaten her and she will see that to
touch her is to touch the apple of his
eve The day comes, no doubt, when
her allegiance and sympathy are trans
ferred to another, in right of a still
higher claim.
There is little wonder if poor pater
tdmiiids looks askance on him at first
and is slow to admit that he is the one
at whose coming his reign must end.
1t is the way of nature, and it must be
so. But it is hard. A father often
loses more on his daughters marriage
than her mother does. MY daughters
my daughter all her life" But the
fathers right changes entirely when
the ring is put on the finger. Till the
fairy prince comes, then, let pdter "a
miiidS be considered and deferred to,
and, if necessary. humored. Let him
not be made to feel that bare duty is to
be paid to him. Let him not feel him
self 4 stranger in his own house. For
many little sacrifice, many gentle
or patient word, unnoticed, unacknowi-
edged at the time, and soon forgotten
bv her who renders it, lives in the men,
ory of him who receives it.