The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-10-11
BILL ARP.
Love the Children, and have Happiness
around the Fireside at Home.
Atlanta Constitution.

AASVS~'ssSS ~~'N~---'
Every now and then some rich man S
daughter up North runs away with the
coachman or negro or some design.
ing scamp who is on the make and
slips up on the old man while he is
asleep-not asleep to his business OF
piling up money, but asleep to his
children who rarely see him except on
Sunday and never get close up to him
as children love to do unless they are
repelled by Indifference or unkindness.
"Knowing that thou vert an austere
man fits many a father now and the
children soon get weaned and SO does
the wife. That girl at St. Paul would
never have married a negro if she had
had kind fathers love and care. Of
course she has wrecked her hopes OF
happiness, and her parents are to
blame for it. Her home was not
happy. ''Be ye not unequally yoked'
sayeth the scripture and every viola
tion Of this injunction brings grief to
the girl, the victim, and her family.
The scamp who works the scheme is
generally bought off and retired.
Solomon says: 'sHe that troubleth
his own house shall inherit the wind.
No husband or wife, no son or daugh-
ter has any right to bring trouble
within that sacred domain called home.
was ruminating about this because
the daily papers are of late so full Of
domestic grief. It looks like there is
hardly a family in the land but what
some member Of it has brought trouble
to all the rest. I look over the COM
munity where [ live and the number is
small where there is no shadow-no
secret sorrow. A fathers bad habits,
a mothers discomfort, sons dissipa-
tion or daughters frailty have trou-
bled and still are troubling many a
household that might otherwise be
happy. A happy home is the only
paradise upon the earth and whoever
makes it unhappy is as guilty as was
the serpent that destroyed the peace
of Eden. The domestic fireside is the
most sacred place upon the earth.
Blackstone says that by the laws of
England mans house is his castle
into which the king of England dare
not enter unlimited. | am sure that
our people generally do not value the
privileges and endearments of their
homes. I do not mean the house with
ito odorninps NOR the flowers in the
front yard, but I do mean the sweet
communion of the family by the fire
side or under the lamplight or in the
dining room or sitting in the yeranda,
and all the time loving each other and
sympathizing with those who have
suffered or are suffering the Affections
that are common to us all. If every
member Of family who is old enough
to think would only resolve to bring
nothing but sunshine into the house
hold how happy would they be. This
can be done. It is easy to do. A
man has no right to enter his own
door with cloud upon his brow and
bad temper in his heart. His coming
should always rejoice his wife and his
children. A woman has no right to
be always complaining about little
things and showing her discomfort in
a thousand ways and keeping the chill
dren in a state of constant alarm for
fear mother will make fuss about it.
There should never be a frown at the
dinner table nor at the morning or
evening meal, nor should there be that
dismal silence that sometimes broods
over the feast. and takes away the
appetite. Food taken in sullen silence
will not digest. The bed and the
board should always be cheerful. The
sleep will not be sweet when there
are tears upon the pillow. [ would
be afraid to scold q child just before
the eyes were closed in sleep. The
responsibility is greater upon the
parents than upon the children. If
the father is loving and companiona-
BILE to his boys, they would be more
apt to stay at home and not wander off
into bad company. They would not
speak of him as "the oldman." They
would not be waiting for him to die SO
that they might inherit his estate.
If the mother was always gentle and
kind and reasonable with her girls
they would love home too well to make
runaway match or to receive the
attentions of unprincipled young men.
"Make home happy" should be the
watchword in every family. 1t is we'll
enough to have thc little prayer, "God
Bless Our Home" painted or worked
in canvas and overhanging the mantel, !,
but our Creator will not do for US
what we can do for ourselves. There
are two kinds of home-sickness-sick
of home and sick for home. l know a
lassie who, not long ago, was sent
away to college and she grieved so at
the separation from the loved ones at
home, and her home-sick letters were
so full of tears, that she was at last
permitted to return. Her companions
laugh at her and make sport Of her
childish weakness, but I have more
regard for her than I ever did. She
loves her home too dearly to leave it
for any common lover. She can get
education enough here even if the
polish is not as fine as it might have
been made elsewhere. It is far better
to be sick for home than sick of home.
When I was sent off to college | was
miserable for awhile and could not
conceal it from my roommate, who
made fun of me and talked about my
mothers apron string, but he had no
mother and could not understand my
distress. When the term was out and
I was to go home I did not wait for the
sun to rise but left Athens by moon
light, about 8 o'clock, riding horse
back with little negro boy behind me
and made the forty-four miles in time
to surprise the family at the dinner
table What glorious welcome !
received from parents and brother and
sisters. Itwas one Of the great events
of my life and still lives among the
sweetest memories. Parental love,
conjugal love, flial love are the key
stone to the arch that supports the
pillars Of government and keeps our
social system secure. AS rule anar-
chists have no children. No nothing
to love but themselves. AS a rule the
ob,1J,o, botfor II N