The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-01-16
A FATHERS RESPONSIBILITY.
tic should share with the Mother in th
EnmlIv l,nrnn.

who forms the character Of her boys,
and as she trains them in their infancy
and youth, so will their manhood be;
up as examples of this statement. This
may be true to some extent, but l, for
one, feel called upon to speak out in
'meetin'" in behalf of the mothers who
have tried by every means in their
power to bring their sons up in the way
they should go, and then perhaps have
failed Take mother, for instance,
who is a thoroughly conscientious
woman, one who tries by precept and
example and with the fear of God in
her heart, to train her boys and girls
to be noble men and women; she has,
however, linked her destiny with man
who is an unbeliever in everything that
his wife regards as so vital, so i'm
portant to the object she has in view.
His ideas of what it takes to make n
man, are oftentimes very different from
hers AS children, from the hour of
their BIRTH seem to the mother to be
part of her very existence, and are sell
dom out of her thoughts in her waking
hours; to the father they are simply the
toy of an hour, to be lightly cast aside
as he goes out among men, leaving them
to the care of the one he has chosen to
be helpmeet and companion. and not
merely household drudge, always at
work, always weary, body and mind,
with worn-out nerves, still striving to
do her duty to the little ones who have
been placed in her care. She may have
them trained as well as anyone can
train healthy, mischevous, playful chill
dren, but if the father swears in their
| presence, or curses them when angry
over some trifle how much longer the
impression of such training will last,
and how quick the manner will be
copied, even il they are not allowed to
use such language.
The loud, clustering tones, and storm
ing manner, they think is manly, for all
children are born imitators, and one
such lesson from the father they are
seldom with will do more harm than n
dozens for good from the mother, who
is their constant companion.
Perhaps the father is n perfect fault
finder and is continually reproaching
them or their mother for their lack Of
manners, though never trying TO teach
them, either by word or deed, anything
himself; and would not give word of
praise when they try very hard to do
right, or show him nicely learned les.
son, believing it will spoil them to
praise them. Should he, however, feel
in an unusually good humor, he will
teach them some rude play, or n coup.
let from some foolish song, that will
cause their mother no end OF trouble;
for if thcre is anything child will re.
member it is rhyme.
1t would have been good thing had
the Catechism been written in rhymes.
think there is great difference in
families in regard to disposition; some
children seem born contrary" and are
naturally stubborn and hard to con.
quer, and l have noticed this trait fre.
quently in the children of parents who
are noted for being "sot in their ways. "
SO it must be as much in inheritance as
in training. Take the noted men who
have given their mothers credit for the
positions they held in after years, they
are very few in comparison to the thou.
sands who have passed their lives in
obscurity, and to how their lives were
spent, or who got credit for their early
training tradition saith not, but doubt
less they all had more or less of the
training natural nother-love would
give, which would in nine cases out OF
ten be more for good than ILL
The very characteristics that enabled
those men of note to reach the posi-
tions they held in manhood were doubt
less in heart and brain in childhood amc
youth naturally respectful manner, {
kind heart and loving disposition thai
gave their mothers chance to trarir
them wisely; a disposition that wouc
listen to her counsel, heed her adnoni
ton and bear with her reproof.
Take the children of the man whC
fears not God, neither regards man, al
far as good opinions are concerned
Let him go in any sort of company hC
chooses, have all such habits as gam
bling, drinking, swearing, smoking
keeping late hours, etc; if questioned
as to whether he thinks it good ex
ample for his sons, will draw himselt
up haughtily, and with a dignificd ali
!, inform you that-''that is his bust
ness, and there is some difference ir
, our ages, and l guess / know what
am about" No doubt he does, and n!
} far as age is concerned he is certainly
} old enough to know better. Then, a.
} his sons begin to take up evil habits on,
after another he has not the mora
, courage ito go to them with the charge
; and SO heaps the blame on the mother
who has tried by every means in he,
power to guide them Alright, and wheI
she kindly tearfully, prayerfnlly i'm
plores them to refrain from their evi
ways the words she hears, that go t.
her heart bike knife, are these: "Nhc
set me the ,eWample?" Alas! who, in
deed?
Fathers as well as mothers are re
sponsible for the future welfare of theil
children. While the mother naturally
and necessarily takes the care of the
children in infancy, and childhood, will
ingly and tenderly, the time soon comes
when she can not always have them un
der her watehfnl care. and then is wher
they need a restraining hand perhaps
more than any other time in their lives
Then, If the father has taught his sons
to regard him as IL friend instead of "a
stern parent, what comfort to that
mother who feels that in the chosen
companion of her life she has a frienG
indeed and her sons true leader Gac
guide.
And IL he has the welfare of his sons
at heart, he will rejoice that the time
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