The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-05-21
eHdersp,t gatettigenter,
How tc Make our Home Mere At.
tractIYe,

How tc Make our Home Mere At.
tractIve.
How many mothers and fathers all
over our land are saying with sadness:
"Where is my wandering boy tonight
The boy Of my tendetcst care,
The boy that was once my Joy and light,
The child of my love and prayer 2'
They can hardly realize that their boy,
once so innocent and pure, has gone
astray. And they cannot understand
why be should have done 80. Did he not
have q good home, plenty to eat and wear
and was he not raised up in the Sun.
day School, and restrained from associa-
tions that would tend to lead him off?
The truth of the business is. he had no
boyhood-he is expected to fill his life
with work and study. When he got out,
and found other boys with various kinds
of amusenents he realized that his life
was monotonous. If he could not have
recreation. et home then he will seek
them elsewhere.
When home ceases to be the centre of
attraction and but only a place in which
to eat and sleep, there's something wrong
in the machinery of that home.
If mothers and fathers would keep
green the memory Of their youthful days,
and enter more into the joys and sorrows
of the young people, there would not be
such lack of confidence and sympathy
between parents and children.
Supplythe children with amusements
for rainy days, and the long winter even
ings. Give them dominos, back gam.
mon, draughts, authors, SC. Stereo-
scopes and views are not expensive, and
they give much pleasure to the inmates
and visitors of home.
Then for the summer season-a cro-
quet set, hammock in a shady nook,
and a swing should be part of the fur.
nishing of a quiet country home. hear
you say:"I am not able to get such
thipgs"-get what you can. Barrel
slaves and rope and auger with which
bore holes and a little patience aud in.
dustry are all that are necessary for max.
ing a very comfortable and lasting ham
mock.
It will not be as expensive in the end
to spend money in making home attract
i've thereby keeping the boys there, az
to pay their whiskey bills and gambling
debts.
No place is home without love, and nc
home is complete without music. En-
courage singing, for it is very inexpen-
sive entertainment.
If there's any musical talent in the
family cultivate it, if possible. If yor
cannot at once get piano or organ get {
guitar or violin. a French harp is bet
ter than no music at all. There'lI surely
be music in Heaven, and if we get there
I imagine it will be source of grea
pleasure to join in that grand chorus
Memory brings back to me now many
times in the past when our home circle
would be complete, but about to sepa
rate-all would gather around the piano
and while one played all sang:
"aod be with you till we meet again"
An other reason why the boys and girll
leave the old homestead for the trials anl
temptations of the outside world is tha
they are made to feel their dependence
SO sensibly. If they need nickel they
have to ask father for it and tell just how
they are going to spend it. Hard earned
money should be spent judiciously; but
if the boys and girls we're given some
branch ofindustry by which they would
make money for themselves-they would
not be apt to spend it foolishly. Let ths
girls have their poultry yard, or straw
berry patch independent of mothers-tht
boys have their own cotton or corn-or {
hog, or calf to attend to and they have
the entire proceeds. 1t will be the fra
lesson in their business education, and
independence and self.reliance are i'm,
portant characteristics of business men
and women. GRACE GORDON.