Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-15

=
no f>culsy in kssping things m ern N,
n, onies cou6rul ovW hsE children an
uu<A ~ sntpynsut wi1h thsm- 1hsrs !
- coufiunsl kicein In hsr hoQDehoh. |
ana whSls thsse was no lack q love and
couI66snos thMe vss . Lack Of unssy,
sd onnssQumEly continual oonfac&
TUw shves ch16ren were frequent |
" late 10 hssakfAs&. morning prayers
wsss ofsen omitted hscanss IL -
family were lats, ss school tine hooks
could not b found. and shoe huttous
and uittans we're missing. and th6ge
was . general scurry and commoaon
until the children, with hurried and
often reprovipg words, were started for
school. Then Mrs. Barstow had many
little things TO do which tho children
should have done. for the entire house
was in confusion. This hinderod the
mother from attending TO her own
duties at the proper time, and through
out the household this lack OF prompt
ness and order was felt. and much which
otherwise would have been easy to ac-
oompaish ws made difficult
To Mrs Barstow. therefore. it seemed
. great undertaking TO give dinner
party. Then. too, she attempted an
elaborate affair with seven or eight
courses, with decorated menus and
much expense. dinner that required
most Of her time and thought for sew
ersl days, and tine time OF her servants,
as weil as the expense Of hiring extra
help. All these preparations so ex-
hausted the hostess that she could not
enjoy her guests with the zest sho might
otherwise have had, and the effort made
was unconsciously felt by the guests,
and it hindered perfect ease and I'M
affected pleasure.
meditatcd, too, on tho constant
friction which engendered discussions,
harsh criticisms. hasty words and fret
ted spiriA All this led the children,
interesting as they were. to grow dis
respectful toward their parents, which
did not tend to increase the love and
interest Of friends.
It was seldom that tho evening hour
was happy or restful one, for the moth
er, worn and weary with the many per-
plexities and cares Of tho day, was too
often unable to be merry with or atten-
tive to her children. Their voices and
their noise disturbed her and the moth
er's fretted spirit was contagious. The
little ones were hurried of to bed with an
uninterosted nurse, and Mrs. Barstow's
sigh Of relief was significant. When
left one home with reluctance, where
the order. the repose, tho easy hoepitali-
ty had cheercd and delighted me, was
ready to leave the other, where even
my own spirit became fretted before the
day SIT fo- my departure.
In the q1iet Of my own home, and by
that CHEEKY blazs in the twilight hour,
said alcud: "And all this difference
which made ono homo 30 delightful to
visit and the other 60 much less agree
| able, can 30 accounted for by the order
and pronptnes and harmony in tho one,
and the disorder and dilatoriness and
| friction In tho other. Tho good cheer
| and respect shown to parents in the one
| and the lack Of it IN the other; the ease
| of entertaining in tho one, the burden
| of il in the Other; the time which the
| parents devoted TO their children In the
| one home, tho absence Of such devotion
| in tho other; the happy, peaceful spirits
in the one, the fretted spirits in the
| other; tAs cIuse fellowship between par
| ents and children IN the one and lack
Of such sympathy in the other; an this"
I said, ''is the result Of good early train
ing, or . lack Of it, in such habits as
must have powerful influence in every
home, which will be feat through life"
Fair faces .beaming round the household
hearth.
Young joyous tsn@ In melody Of mirth,
Tho sire 6oubly living In his boy,
And sle the CROWN of all that wealth or Joy;
These mako the homo like some sweet lyre
given
To sound ON earth the harmonies Of heaven
Standard.