The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-06-06
WOMAN AND HER HOME.
1T Is WELL TO TEACH CHILDREN
THE HABIT OF HAPPINESS.
New and OId-FamOus EIiz-
abeth Fry-The Suffrage Question
BabyIand Amusements - Mrs. Lin
coins PensiOn-American Girls.

II is just as we'll 10 teach children the
habit of happiness as to allow them to
grow up in constant state Of morose ir-
ritability and fretfulness.
Very few people realize that irritability
and fault-flndlng are merely a habit,
and that. too. of the most disagreeable
sort. 1t is comparatively easy TO see
why such an inclination grows upon the
children. The parents are worried and
vexed. wearied with the cares and respon-
sibilities of life. and thus not particu-
larry goCd-natured. They not only en-
courage by their own conduct the dis
agreeable practice of grumbling and fret
ting, but are often so irritable that the
innocent amusements of the children
CRATE upon their feelings to such an ex-
tent that the youngsters are forbidden to
romp or play about the house.
One New England woman, whose soul
was burdened with care, and who felt at
war with all the world, used TO punish her
children when they ronped, and rebuked
them when they laughed. charging them
with the most outrageous ingratitude and
cruelty, because they could be merry
when she was so unhappy.
Many child has gone about the house.
sullen and silent, for this very reason.
Many another has gone out from the
home circle to seek its pleasures else
where. because the atmosphere of home
was so depressing and gloomy as TO be
intolerable. One of the greatest mistakes
of life is to cultivate the habit of ex-
pecting too much Of circumstances.
There is bound to be just so many
drawbacks, just so much misery, pain
and unhappiness in the world, and those
persons are the wisest who make due
allowance for this state of affairs. Very
few things in this life comes out as we
desire, and it is the most egregious folly
to expect any such thing as perfect hap
piness, and that all things in this world
will come to us in our own way.
While il is not all worth while to Guilt
vate demeanor anywhere approaching
the hilarious or flippant, It is an excellent
idea to educate oneself up TO the belief
that this is a rather uncertain existence,
and that the best one has a right to eX-
pect is the middle ground OF comfort and
the absence of Affections.
One of the ablest of contemporary writ
ers makes one Of her characters declare
that the greatest happiness she ever al
lows herself to anticipate is that she may
be spared great sorrows. Little troubles
are certain TO come. Those there is no
such thing as avoiding. and when one
KNOWS that this must De the case u
would seem the part of wisdom to so pre-
pare the mind for them that their coming
will neither disturb the even current of
life nor upset the temper and nerves to
such an extent as to make the sufferer
and all immediate friends sharers in the
depression.
There is nothing more healthful than
real. genuine, heartfelt fun, and If chill
dren and young people were encouraged
10 indulge in more Of II, and if parents
would take even moderate doses Of it
themselves, the world would be in a
much more comfortable, Christian and
promising condition.-N. Y. Ledger.