Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-02
How to Have a Happy Home.

home OF discord may be visited by &C.
quaintances, but its doors are never likely to
be knocked at by friends. Sensible people
will give it a wide berth, and prefer friendship
and intimacy with those who live at peace.
Nobody finds wise young man counting girl
in family who get on i'll among themselves
He wants a bird out of good
nest, and has no wish to be drawn in by
marriage to take one side or other
OF lifelong freside feud. It is hard on girl.
you say. Sometimes. But about the young
mans sagaclty there can be no question what
ever. If all homes were happy what a pleasant
world 1t would be; and there is no reason why
happiness should not reign everywhere, if peo-
pie would only make wisdom and not stupidity.
the guide OF their lives. When people are misera-
BILE it Is in ninety-nine cases out of the hundred
their own fault. An emperor of China was once
travelling through his realm. and he came upon a
family in which the grandfather, with his
wlves-he had several of them-his children,
grandchlldren, sons-in-law, daughters-in law
and servants, all lived under the same roof in
perfect peace and harmony. The emperor was
80 struck with this, that he asked the old man
by what means he contrived to avoid quarrels
and disputes, and to have his large family
live together so pleasantly. Taking out a
pencil he wrote inreply these words-"P Patience
and common sense" That was the whole
secret An easy one to remember, but hard
especially with some natures. to put in practice.
What strikes one as an odd thing is that many
are able to exercise patience and common sense
abroad, but find it next to an impossible task
at home. With them everything is done for
the benefit of society at large, and at the ex-
pense Of their own circle. In other peoples
houses they have a face like benediction,
whilst in their own it is disfgured with frowns
or all follies, this is one of the greatest. As
ii it were not their interest, let alone their
duty, to do exactly the reverse. If anyone
has mind to be cross, snappish. and disagree
able, let her choose field for giving vent to
her ill-humor as far removed from home as
possible. Our best side should be turned not
to strangers but to those with whom we dwell,
and whilst it is right to wish for the good
opinion of everybody, we should be anxious
most OF all about the favorable impression we
make on our own folks at home. or the whole
tribe of girls give us her whose brothers and
sisters call her, and with good reason. an angel.
We have duties to perform abroad hut we can
never do these things rightly if we start by
neglecting what we owe to our own relatives,
and acting as if we believed that good works,
kindness, gentleness and good humor ought
to begin at any place rather than at home.
This is inverting the natural order of things,
and is proceeding to be looked for only from
foolish people. If there is to be household
harmony an important point is to cultivate
sweet temper. We cannot do without that
Some tempers are like violin strings out Of
tune-with them who can expect melody or
harmony from the family orchestra? This is
specially young womans subject; indeed, il
our girls are not amiable, nobody else can be
expected to be. 1t is to their kind and gentle
words that we must look for an antidote to
fretting and ill-hnmor. At home the keynote
of the days music is often struck by the first
word we hear in the morning, and happy is
that house where it is always uttered BY the
smiling lips of good-natured girls.