Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-05-19

propriately dressed, and each with hap
py face bidding their parents, each
other. and the guests pleasant good
morning. Then after morning prayer,
in which the servants participated, each
of the older children quietly disap-
peaFed from the sitting room to attend
to few practical duties before getting
ready for school, appearing ere long,
with books in hand, for 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 and 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 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 gift of
pretty picture, and as little Mary opened
a bureau drawer noticed how neat and
orderly it was as was also her closet,
where the shoes and rubbers even were
set back against the Dashboard with
regularity and precision. asked Mrs.
Van Dyke when we were alone if Mary,
who was nine years old, arranged her
closet and drawers herself, to which
question her mother replied:
Certainly. l 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. and
they love to do little services for their
mothers. / showed them just how to
put their clothes and shoes away in an
orderly manner, and how to lay things
in their drawers and keep them neatly.
Those early lessons they will never for
get. believe" she added, 'no matter
how many servants one can afford to
have it is well to teach children to be
self reliant, and to do everything
promptly and we'll. Such teaching
saves vast amount of work and of un-
necessary friction through life. True il
is that some children seem to have nat.
, urally more of a bump of order than
, others, but the orderly habit can be cul
tivated. If the hanging loop of Mary's
= coat should give way, so orderly has
she become she would not for moment
think Of hanging it upon the hook unit
the loop was mended."
All this | recalled as sat there, ant
also what my friend said about her hus
band when | had remarked that | hat
:. never seen gentlemen who seemed tt
make SO little trouble about the house.
"He was q surprise to me in that re
spect." said Mrs. Van Dyke. ~ tolt
= him soon after we were married that
=. had been accustomed to see men leav
: everything about for some one to picl
), up. and asked him how it happened tina
he was so neat and orderly. He SAT-
that when he was about thirteen year
old he noticed that his mother picked u
and put away what he had left careless
" iv about, and when he had tossed up hi
f bureau drawers his mother. without
r word, came and regulated them, and b
f 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 Q
g course Mr.. Van Dyke has been a grea
help to me in the training of our chi
dren."
One of the pleasantest memories G
It the visit was then recalled, that of th
a children's hour, which Longfellow ha
immortalized in that sweet poem, bt
!. ginning:
II Between the dark and the daylight,
When the night is beginning TO lower,
Comes pause in the days occupation
Which is known as the children's hour.
p |
81 mother gather her little flock about he
, and tell them good story, or read t
them, or recite some pretty poems, an
talk with them about their lessons, an
s. after dinner play few merry game
with them. Then when bedtime cam
she excused herself for half an hour an
staid with her children as they pr,
pared for bed, singing sweet little hymn
to them, and with unstudied effort guit
ing their thoughts Alright. and biddin
them happy good nights. That, she sale
was one of her precious half hours whic
was seldom interfered with.
could not but contrast with all thes
sweet memories my visit at Mrs. Ba
~ stow's. While she was as attractive an
!, intelligent ana more witty than Mr.
: !. Van Dyke. she had no repose of name
y no faculty in keeping things in orde
IL no quiet control over her children an
le much less enjoyment with them. The,
O. was continual friction in her household
rt and while there was no lack of love an
" confidence there was a lack of unit,
m and consequently continual conflict.
- Two or three children were frequen
- - ly late to breakfast, morning prayer
- were often omitted because all I'll
~ family We're late, at school time bool
VI could not be found, and shoe buttol
B. and mittens were missing. and the
= was a general scurry and commotie
y until the children, with hurried an
y often reproving words, were started Fl
u school. Then Mrs. Barstow had mar
little things to do which the childre
Ut should have done, for the entire hou
Us was in confusion. This hindered Il
y mother from attending to her ov
es duties at the proper time, and throug