The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-06-18
THE TWO VISITS.

that l drew up my comfortable chair !
before a cheerful blaze in my simply
furnished, pleasant library, and with
my head resting on the pillow Of the
chair fell to meditating. l had just re-
turned home after paying two short
visits to dear old friends Of my happy
school days, who for ten years had been
mistresses of their own homes, was
trying, as l sat there, TO answer the
question why it was that l had enjoyed
my visit so much more at Mrs. Van
Dykes than / did at Mrs Barstow's
Both ladies were bright, cordial enter
tanning, intelligent and exceedingly
hospitable, and had looked forward for
two years TO the pleasure of visiting
them in their own homes.
They were living in inland cities about
200 miles apart Both of these friends
had married lawyers, who were already
earning good incomes, and both families
had the eutree to the best society,
The homes of these friends were not
only comfortable but exceedingly taste
full and pleasant, and the children in
both homes were bright, handsome and
merry, with plastic minds ready to be
nodded by their parents.
Yet with all this similarity in the So
cial position Of both families, in the in
comes they received, in the homes they
had built, in the education Of the
parents and in their church relations
the atmosphere of these two homes was
very different, and visit in the one was
great contrast to the other.
l recalled many incidents of the two
visits, and they convinced me, and
more strongly than ever before, that
the mother makes the home. Her taste,
her methods, her ideas, her example,
her influence, her spirit are all inn
pressed upon the household and create
its atmosphere.
At Mrs Van Dykes not only was all
the household machinery so well oiled
that its running was noiseless, but there
was no friction whatever in the family.
The household arose betimes, in the old
fashioned way, and all the children
were ready for breakfast when the meal
was announced, and they appeared ap-
propriately dressed, and each with hap
py face bidding their parents, each
other, and the guests a pleasant good
morning Then after morning prayer,
in which the servants participated, each
of the older children quietly disap-
peared from the sitting room to attend
to few practical duties before getting
ready for school, appearing ere long,
with books in hand, for a goodby kiss
and to hear the last CHEEKY word from
mother as they started out.
With perfect composure, and with no
apparent trouble, a few friends were
asked to dine one evening, and a most
delightful visit enjoyed The flowers,
the glass, the silver, the table linen were
exquisite, and the dinner of only four
courses was well cooked, homelike and
well served, while the feast of reason,
the quick repartee, the witty stories, the
bits of political, social aud literary talk
were not only pleasure to all the older
ones, but a source of education and cul-
ture to the children. Several such in
formal companies were entertained at
Mrs. Van Dykes while l was there.
In every department the household
seemed to move along harmoniously and
without apparent exertion or undue care
on the part of the mother The home
was at all times in perfect order, and
yet without stiffness or angularity visi
BILE anywhere.
/ remembered going into one of the
children's rooms to look at n gift of 6
pretty picture, and as little Mary opened
a bureau drawer | noticed how neat and
orderly it was as was also her closet
set back against the Dashboard witt
regularity and precision. ! asked Mrs
Van Dyke when we were alone if Mary
who was nine years old, arranged hel
closet and drawers herself, to which
question her mother replied:
Certainly | taught all my children
before they were two years old TO be or
derly. Even at that age she said
'you know they are very initiative, anC
they love to do little services for thei
mothers. | showed them just how t,
put their clothes and shoes away in n
orderly manner, and how to lay thing
in their drawers and keep them neatly
Those early lessons they will never for
get. | believe she added, ''no matte
how many servants one can afford L
have it is well to teach children to b
self reliant, and TO do everything
promptly and we'll. Such teaching
saves vast amount of work and of uu
necessary friction through life True j
is that some children seem to have nat
urally more Of a bump of order tha
others, but The orderly habit can be cul
tivated, If the hanging loop of Mary
coat should give way, so orderly Ia
she become she would not for a momeu
think Of hanging it upon the hook mt
the loop was mended.'
All this | recalled as | sat there, an
also what my friend said about her hui
band when | had remarked that ha
never seen gentlemen who seemed {
make SO little trouble about the house.
HE was a surprise TO me in that +,
spect," said Mrs. Van Dyke. a. tol
him soon after we were married that
had been accustomed to see men leay
everything about for some one TO pic
up, and asked him how it happened tn,
he was so neat and orderly. He sal
that when be was about thirteen yeal
old he noticed that his mother picked d
and put away what he had left careles
~ about, aud when he had tossed up hi
bureau drawers his mother, without
word, came and regulated them, and h
concluded one day that he was some
what better able TO do all this than hi
mother and from that time ON he mad
her no trouble in such ways. And o
course Mr., Van Dyke has been grea
help 10 me IN tke training Of our chill
drenn
One Of the pleasantest memories O
the visit was then recalled, that Of thu
2hildren's hour, which Longfenow ha
mmortalized in that sweet poem, be
ginning;
Between the dark and the daylight,
When the night is beginning 10 lower
Comes pause in the days occupation
Which is known as the cliidreu's hour.
How beautiful il was 10 see tina
mother gather her little flock about he
and tell them a good story, OF read t.
them, or reCite some pretty poems, an,
talk with them about their lessons, an,
after dinner play a few merry game
with them. Then when bedtime cam
she excused herself for half an hour an,
staid with her children as they pre-
pared for bed, singing sweet little HYMN
70 them, and with uustudied effort guild
ing their thoughts Alright and biddinl
them happy good nights. That, she said
Was one OF her precious half hours whicl
was seldom interfered with
1 could not but contrast with all thes
sweet memories my visit at Mrs. Bar
slows While she was as attractive ant
Intelligent and more witty than Mrs
Ma aHu