The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-09-12
SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS.
Human Nature Pretty Much the
Same Everywhere.

luis woman'S duty to be AS beautiful
or as nearly beautiful, as she can. 1t is
mans privilege to be ugly, but, rs
Madame de Stael says, some men carry
this privilege too far.
II wish could 90 to church through
shady avenues and by violet beds" said
Ronnoke woman recently, 81 believe
should have more worshipful mind. 1t
is trying to have my nainsook lres. rub
ping against II potato barrel, while NV
steps are heaveuward bent"
Isn't it time that some one should pro-
test against II custom that exists among
art pupils of boarding schools, that OF
covering the walls of their homes with
the crude work they have done in the
classroom. OF what await is the study
ing OF drawing and painting if it does
not cultivate the taste sufficiently to
make one prefer the cheapest engraving
of a great picture to one's own school girl
copy Of "a Yard OF lIittens:" Some of
these efforts remind one of what CARLYLE
said about "Sordello." He read it, but
vas not able to tell whether Sordollo
WAS man, u city, or Il castle.
One OF the many pathetic things in life
is the gap between educated children and
uneducated parents. That such separa-
lion exists is oftener the fault of parents
than of the boys ard girls, Suppose sou
CIV ioi " VI iOi(y i've, your uluIuLpr oil
eighteen comes home with diploma and
broad A. She loves and respects YOU,
but you make the mistake of thrusting
her superiority upon her. You defer to
her Judgment, rs course in mathema-
tics fitted her to pronounce upon practi-
cal matters which only wide experience
enables one to understand Surely,
knowledge of life, II cultivated will aud
insight into human nature should count
Ter much against mere youth and diplo-
mus. Suppose your son has received a
medal Mt an excellent college. DO not fall
down and worship it, as many parents
have done. Thousands of students in this
land Of schools receive distinctions, and
it does not follow because our son has Oh
tained n. few honors that he is genius,
or that he is your superior. \ certain
class OF parents ridcule the college We
Deering which seems to them to be Il re-
preach tn their own lack of polish This
is as serious an error rs the other. With
the purpose of doing the best you can for
your sons or daughters, you send them to
the most thorough school you can find.
They come into touch with modern ideas
and methods and ale necessarily influ-
cnced by snC h association. If this con.
tact results in contempt for all chat is
not new, you should exercise parents
L,
you should not throw discredit upon
what has been acquired at your advice
and under your guardianship.
ROanokers realize that they live amid
beautiful Surroundings. AT the end of
the most commonplace street in the city
there is a view of I, blue mountain, and II
few yalds from the street car lines the
prettiest of Virginia landscapes are
spread out In the city itself there IA:
many attractive homes with we'll. kept
lawns, but on each side of some of the
neatest places, untidy vacant lots lower
the average appearance of II whole neigh
borht cd, so that the general air of thrift,
care, and neatness which one sees in
some other towns, North or South, is
lacking here. ~ town Improvement So
y.might do good work.
Bar Harbor owes some OF it, beauty to
such society. Haverh:ll, Mass, is Il
cleanly, beautiful town in spite of the
fact that it leads in the manu- tacture of
shoes. Though the olor of leather is
everywhere, there are no unsghtly piles
OF refuse in back streets.
The Northern mai not only holds the
opinion that his back yard should be as
clean as the front door step, but in ortis
to prove that he has carried out his
theory. in many cases he has no back
grass plot and his neighbours is invisible
The So1therer prefers high fence and
thinks it is nobody's business what is in
side of it.
1t is of the utmost Importance that n
man should know his family history, for
that Is conducive to self-knowledge
what of your ancestors: Were they up
right, noble. gifted? Learn as much as
you can about them. measure tn III by
some worthy standard, and bear in mind
the characteristics of your people. But
remember that when all is said, as land,
seemingly barren for centuries sometimes
hiGeS richest ores. so there are sometimes
bouhdless hidden posi- bilities in what
seems to be ordinary human nature.
For the sake of Roanoke children
could wish there were more older people
here. 1t is childhood's right to hear what
grandmother did when she was young.
A home without the constant or frequent
presence OF grandparents is n home with
out due perspective. There is an added
touch of fineness in the character of n
boy who references the old, and who
knows his grandfather we'll enough to sit
upon his fence and he told over and over
again, What General Lee said when !
handed him the dispatches or Chow
courtrd your grandmother.
Among the pleasantest influences in n
certain town about n hundred miles east
of here is the presence of three men who
embndv the qualities most admired in
the old. One is IL "beloved physician, ("
with courtly manners end kindly
smile, and one minister genial and
| scholarly. The third has the dignified
bearing III man who has worthily filled
the highest office in the State govern
ment All three are honored with the
love and admiration of their fellow towns.
men. VI Il. STONE