Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-01-24
The Head of the Family.

The position of the head of the faml-
ly is not an unimportant one, ana ac
cording to the precedent establlsheo
by the Creator when he placed Adam
in the garden before the browning al
ter.thought was conceived in, the brain
of the Deity, man has occupied une
position officially. There is Importance
attached to being the head OF any
thing: it means responsibility and rec
opnized superior qualifications general
ly: it means power and force to which
some one more or less lowly must doff
his hat. AS the head of the family our
first parent lacked in qualifications;
there was a suspicious lack of magma
nimitv in Adam on that occasion when
he turned States evidence and placed
the mother of the human race on the
defensive, with no one to plead her
canse He showed lamentable lack
of reserve force in that interview with
the angel of the Lord, did Adam, and
when Eve passed without the gates of
the garden, tagging at his heels like
the guilty, condemned thing that she
was. her liege lord convinced her by the
stern obiect-lessoh that he was the Of
fetal head of the house. Adam has
had many sons built after the same
plan, officially more than really the
head of the house.
II is mans prerogative to be the head
of the family and the position is one
worthy the ablest, the noblest son of
the nation. 1t means a great deal, this
being the head of the family; it means
more than merely having your name
on the door plate and the carriage
block it means more than carving the
meat and looking up at night and Or
dering the coal; it means more than
pIunging the children into disgrace at
will: more than poking the fire when
if doesn't need it or when it does; more
than finding fault with the steak or
the coffee: it means more than the
autocratic power of the petty domestic
tyrant. The qualifications emitting a
man to the position of the head in his
house are calculated to set him to
thinking.
The responsibility involved in the
privilege of bestowing ones personal
name upon each individual member OF
the family as he is ushered into atmos-
pheric existence is one not to be re-
garded lightly The name bestowed
upon new and irresponsible arrivals is
now and then a questionable favor
The head of the family enjoys the priv
lege of standing between the family
and the outside world. The family
looks to him for reserve force and JUS
tice and liberation and sympathy and
morality and wisdom, and looks up to
him even though he be of diminutive
stature. Being the head of the house
isn't a simple office to fill successfully.
1t isn't always an easy matter to look
brave and feel patient when adverse
circumstances threaten and frown. 1t
isn't easy to look at domestic trifies or
to overlook them where discomfort is
concerned. and to regard them with the
great broad understanding that finds
its nourishment in the outside world.
1t isn't always human to remember
that the broadcast shoulders in the fami-
ly are made so in order that they may
bear the heaviest end of the burden.
The head of the family can weigh the
troubles of the baby with the same
exactness as that with which he reckons
more or less important things that come
his way, and he possesses a thousand
virtues that are conceived by duty and
discipline. 1t is really worth While to
be the head of the family. There are
lot of honors belonging to the posi-
ton. A generous allowance of this
worlds goods are not always perqui-
sites, but in world better than this
there are clear titles to real estate and
other desirable honors. How about
i -. 20 PoJf