The Banner-Democrat., 1894-12-01
THE AMERICAN HOME.


SAM GuISAiV HOM6s
Family Obligations which Conduce d
Household Happiness.
I Probably nowhere in the world is tn,
genuine harmonious home, the rea
family circle. SO perfect in all respect
as in this LAND of the free and hom,
of the brave
All over the country are dwelling
more or less spacious and commodius
where live families larger or smaller al
the case may be. but each little in
dependent principality, with its owI
Individual government, its own rules
its own laws, interests. amusement,
and labors. 1t is the miniature type O.
the great land we live in. Here there
! is no arbitrary rule, no absolute mon
archy, no slavery, no control by fear
no inhexible system by which the weaL
and the innocent are sacrificed to the
will OF the strong, and timidity is
crushed and destroyed because it has not
| the power successfully to cope with
brute force.
The American family circle at it's
best is an interesting example of intel
ligent equality. Because the father is
Older and more experienced and has
the physical strength to doso, he does
not imagine it to be his right to abuse
and ill-treat bis wife and children. On
the contrary, his superior muscle and
Drawn and brain are ever enlisted in
the endeavor to shield his loved ones
from the storms and rough phases of
Life and to help their inexperienced
footsteps over life's pathway that they
stumble not therein. The mother has
her deepest interest in the happiness
health and general welfare of her
shousehold and is never weary in her
labors for their highestgood. NotasK
is too difficult for the parents to ur-
dertake, no obstacles are oogreat and
nopain or suffering or sorrow counts for
anything by the side of the present and
future prosperity of the family. To
train the children up to healthful, in
telligent and useful maturity is their
high ambition; and surely no aim could
be more praiseworthy and no occupa.
tion more honora BILE. To this end they
often deprive themselves of present
iuxuries, and grow weary and prema
turely old with anxiety and overwork.
But the future of their little ONES is SO
much to. them. Hoyy they build
stcastles in the air" bout the time
when the youngsters will be grown up
and able to take upon themselves the
duties and responsibilities of life! And
then they will try to get little of the
rest which for long years they had
denied themselves. When the boys arc
in business and the girls are snugIy
settled in homes of their own,
how delightful it all will bel
They will live over again their
early trials and triumphss6a and
rejoice that their children are spared
the privations and hardships which
they endured. For parental love is
unseifish and seeks the welfare of the
child first. Whether this unselfish-
ness is not carried to excess at times,
lettthe records of ingratitude and the
al-treatment of those who have de-
voted their lives to their children an.
swer.
But in this wisely-managed, well-or-
Tered home this does not happen. Each |
md every child has its duties and re-
possibilities, and is taught from its /
earliest infancy that it owes some obli- |
cations to the family, the world and to
humanity. The family does not exist for
I alone, but every member of the lit
lie community is responsible for some
part of its well being.
In country homes this is even more
important than in towns and cities, for
here the youngsters have a wider
ield. Everything in nature appeals
or care and protection, and an init
nate acquaintance with the works of
he Creator always broadens the mind
md makes the thoughts and ideas more
Selfishness narrows the soul, and its
rec and long-continued indulgence de-
.rades its victim, and destroys all no
lie ard generous sentiments.
Kindness and consideration for 9TH
RS should be among the earliest les
pms OF life. The child in its mothers
rms is not too young for such lessons,
nd thorough education in this por-
ION of the training of the young will
ave much regret in after life, and will
9 much toward elevating the senti-
lents and raising the standard of the ,
merican home.-N. Y. Ledger.