Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-02-19
Mlistellaueums &eaaiug.
THE FATHER AT HOME.

Some fathers fail to gain their children's
confidence by an apparent lack of sympa-
thy. 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 dis
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
pater faneilias feels when 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 and propitiated, but no more.
Very often q man has himself to blame Tor
this state of things, but not always. Often
it is mere love of secrecy which make girls
possible from knowledge of their doingss,
their friends, their comings and goings, their
fears and homes. = With some this reticence
must be necessary. Condolences would only
be met with suspicion or blame or rldicule.
But most men have a tender spot in their
hearts, even for the weakness and foolish
ness of "their own tiesh," and feeled panied
when they are silently condemned as un-
worthy of confidence. Pater tan''tlas may
be too proud to show that ne feels hurt;
He may wrap himself up in dignity and
the girls; he may even repel the first ad-
vances. but his heart may be eXclalm-
ing bitterly against the GOODNESS and hard
ness which excludes him from the know
ledge of his daughters mind and heart
which is given to half dozen school girl
friends. A girl owes much to her father,
even if he has not been all to her that a
parent ought to be. He has had to work
hard, very probably, that her bread ana
l. = 10 Ia hos hnr (sqr
anXieties, struggles, temptations, at which
she can but guess-of which she can form
no real conception. If he is hard and un-
sympathetic some allowance for the ner-
vous 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 fathers eyes. Rough
words and cold or angry looks may seem
to disprove it, but it is true nevertheless.
More even in a 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 eye. The
day comes, no doubt, when her allegiance
and sympathy are transferred to another,
in right of still higher claim. There is
little wonder if poor pater tumlias 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 fathers right
changes entirely when the ring is puton the
finger. Till the fairy prince comes, then,
let pater tanatlias be considered ana 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 himselfa
stranger in his own house. For many
little sacrifice, many gentle or patient
word, unnoticed, unacknowledged at the
time, and soon forgotten by her who rem
ders it, lives in the memory of him who
receives WduerLy. III