The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-08-13

little ones az surely as the schoolteach.
or, ora door that won't shut, or a gate
off the hinges, or shiftless looking
dooryard; all such matters will leave an
impress on the children's minds that
will make it seem natural for them to
have similar surroundings when they
grow up. We parents ought to think
of this. When | was a small boy
thought, boylike, that father was over
particular about many things. l used
to say to him, Father, what is the use
of spending so much time to get those
potato-rows SO straight lin the garden)?'
Or, "What is the use of doing so much
work in that dooryard?" You see, I was
boy then, and thought more of play;
but father was looking ahead, and
brought me up surrounded by such an
atmosphere that am necessarily as par
ticular, if not more so, than he was; and
many time have felt thankful for it.
When l see every thing at loose ends
around a farmers home, can not help
but think the chances are nearly all in
favor Of the children being just like
him. If there is nice lawn, and walks
and flowers, and neatly painted build
ings, and pretty trees, and every thing
looks neat and tasty, / can tell almost
to certainty how things will look
around the chiidren's homes when the y
get some Of their own, the surroundings
of childhood have so much to do with
the future grown person. A shiftless
man whom I once knew, was being re.
proved for his conduct by friend,
when he broke out in defense with !:
"You know my father and my Uncle
James and my Uncle Henry, don't
your
Eyes"
"Well, then, what more could you
expect of me?''
To be honest, one had no business to
expect any thing very much better of
him. Now, l want to say to every read
err Of Gleamings, Think twice before
you say emo" when the good wife wants
you to fix things up little-to NOW
the dooryard, to get her some flowers to
make home beautiful. | know man
who is worth $4,000 at least, who
grumbled about it because his wife
wanted him to get her few flowers at
6 cents apiece. All! money is the only
thing worth living for, in his eyes.
You, may say that the love of the
beautiful and of order and nea tness are
not SO important as good moral training.
Perhaps not; but the former will
strengthen the latter. They are sorts
of sugar.coated pills that will do good
without being hard to take. At any
rate, the children can not refer to your
failings in future years, and say, "What
more could you expect of me?"
Now, friend Root, | want to tell you
about something that l found going on
in my dooryard the other day. You
may remember we got some wire
clothes.line and Whitman's fountain
pump of you. among other things. last
spring. Well, I found one of my
daughters sprinkling the clothes, on the
line, with the pump, after which they
were rolled up and put in the basket
ready for ironing. 1t was quite a saw.
ing in time over the old way; and with
little care it can be done nicely. This
is use for the pump that do not be-
lieve you ever thought of. To be sure.
it is little matter; but am glad al
ways to do what l can to make the
work of the ladies, necessarily quite too
monotonous, as pleasant and easy as
possible. In my next letter I want to
talk to the husbands and fathers lit.
tie about some improvements indoors.
T. B. TERRY.
Hudson, Ohio, July, 1886.
-Gleanangs.