The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-12-13

heart, and this world has shone ON you
and blessed you and caressed you for
these so or 10 years, and yet you dare
talk about the nothingness of this world
Why, it is magnificent world. I do
not believe in the whole universe there
is a world equal to it, except it be heav-
en-. You cannot expect your children to
stay in the house these long winter even
ings to hear you denounce this star light
ed, sun warmed, shower baptized, flow
er strewn, angel watched, God inhabit-
ed planet.
Oh, make your home bright! Bring
in the violin or the picture. 1t does not
require great salary, or big house,
or chased silver, or gorgeous upholstery
to make a happy home. All that is
wanted is a fathers heart, mothers
heart, in sympathy with young folks l
have known a man with $500 salary,
and he had no other income, but he had
home SO happy and bright that, though
the sons have gone out and won large
fortunes and the daughters have gone
out into splendid spheres and become
princesses of society, they can never
think of that early home without tears
of emotion. 1t was to them the vesti-
bule of heaven, and all their mansions
now and all their palaces now cannot
make them forget that early place.
Make your homes happy. You go around
your house growing about your rheu-
matism aud acting the lugubrious, and
your sons will go into the world and
plunge into dissipation. They will have
their own rheumatisms after awhile.
| Do not forestall their misfortunes. You
were young once, and you had your
bright and joyous times Now let the
young folks have a good time. stood
in front of house, and 1 said to the
owner of the house, ''This is splendid
tree" He said in whining tone, Yes,
but it will fade" l walked around in
his garden and said, "This is a glorious
garden you have. - eyes, he said,
"but it will perish" Then he said to
my little child, whom I was leading
along, "Come and kiss me. y" The child
protested and turned away. He said,
"Oh, the perversity of human nature p
Who would want to kiss him? l was not
surprised to find out that his only son
had become vagabond. You may groan
people out of decency, but you can never
groan them into it, and declare in the
presence of these men and women of
common sense that it is most impor-
tant thing for you to make your homes
bright if you want your sons and daugh-
| ters tO t11rp ont we'll
The Young and the Old.
Alas, that old people SO much misun-
derstand young folks There was great
Sunday school anniversary, and tn ere
were thousands of children present-in-
deed all the Sunday schools of the town
were in the building, and it was very
uproarious and full of disturbance, and
the presiding officer on the occasion
came forward and in very loud tone
shouted, "SilenceI - and the more noise
the presiding office made, the more
noise the children made. Some one else
rose ON the platform and came forward
and with more stentorian voice shouted,
"Silence - and the uproar rose to great
| er height, and it did seem as if thAsa
would be almost a riot and the police
have to be called in, when old DIR. Bea-
man, his hair white as the driven snow,
said, "Let me try my hand" So he
came forward with a slow step to the
front of the platform, and when the
children saw the venerable man and the
white hair, they thought they would
hush up that instant and hear what the
old man had to say. He said: Boys, 1
want to make bargain with you. II
you will be still now, while 1 speak,
when you get to be as old as am will
be as still as mouse " There was not
another whisper that afternoon. He was
as much boy as any of them. Oh, in
these approaching holidays, let us turn
back our natures to what they were
years ago and be boys again and girls
again and make all our homes happy.
God will hold you responsible for the
influence you now exert, and it will be
very bright and very pleasant If some
winter night, when we are sleeping I'M
der the blankets of snow, our children
shall ride along in the merry party and
hushing a moment into solemnity, look
off and say, "There sleep the best father
and mother that ever made happy new
year.. Arm yourself against these
temptations of December, January and
February. Temptation will come to You
in the form of an angel of light.
1 know that the poets represent satan
as horned and hoofed. If / were poet
and / were going to picture satan,
would represent him as human being,
with manners polished to the last perfec-
ton, hair falling in graceful ringlets,
eye little bloodshot, but floating In
bewitching languor, hand soft and dla-
monded, foot exquisitely shaped, voice
mellow as a flute, breath perfumed as
though nothing had ever touched the
lips but balm Of a thousand flowers,
conversation facile, carefully toned and
Frenchy. But 1 would have the heart
incased with the scales of monster and
have it stuffed with all pride and beast
illness of desire and hypocrisy and death,
and then would have it touched with
the rod of disenchantment until the eyes
became the cold orbs of the adder, and
to the lip should come the foam of rag
ing intoxication, and to the foot the
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