The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-10-20
The q Il Fills at Home.

One of the little tragedies of life whose
pathos we never realize until it grips our
own heartstrinss is the flight of the boys
and girls from the home nest. and the
breaking up of the family circle. OF
course, one knows from the beginning
that such an end is inevitable. The time
is bound to come when the little children
about ones knees cease to be children
and become men and women. with all of
mems and women's needs and desires
when they must so out into the world
and do their allotted work, and make
new ties and homes for themselves 1t is
best for them and happieSt for them that
they should. but. oh. the old home is
lonesome when they are gone, when there
is no more rollicking laughter. no Strum~
ming on the old piano. no more coming
and going of young people.
The girls are all married and live fur
away, and the boys are in business in
this city and that. The table that used
to reach almost the whole length of the
dining room has been drawn up, and
drawn up. until now it is only long enough
for the two old people. and mother never
looks across it at father without Il quick
rush of tears to her eyes and Il little chok-
ing Of the threat. thinking of the empty
chairs that are ranged so stiff against
Tue Will, Will HtIouI " use them HOW.
1t is almost like when she and father
were married and Welt ~ housekeeping.
only they were young then, too, and life
was all before them, and the world was
rosy with hope, and every day was filled
brim full of fresh interests. 1t is differ
cnt now They have lived so long for
their children that they have ceased to
have any other pleasure, and are too old
TO make new interests. and now the chill
1r,ft han,
But what Of the children? All. they
seldom realize how it is with the old
folks ut home. They are so busy with
their own affairs they have scarcely time
to send even Il vagrant thought after the
patient old people waiting, waiting for il
message from the ones in whom all the
interest and happiness of their lives are
bound up. Mary is absorbed in her chill
dren. Julia is taken up with society and
clubs. John and Tom are in the thick of
the fight fer money and position. Their
own lives are SO crowded with events
that they forget how long and how lone
ly the days may be for the old parents
left behind in the little village or the old
farmhouse.
Women cling more closely to family
ties than men do, and it is seldom that
Il woman becomes so alienated from her
people as not to write occasionally, but
it is melancholy fact that there are
thousands of men who practically never
write home at all. 1t always seems to !,
man that he has offered satisfactory
excuse for any kind Of negligence when
he says he is busy. but he never stops
to think when he makes that apol-
ogy for not writing to his mother that
ill all his life she was never too busy or
too tired to wait upon him, and love
him. and serve him. Sometimes he COM
promises with his conscience by having
his wife write, or the children write 1t
Is pltlful Subterfugc, and only God can
know how the old mothers heart aches
for a sight Of the face she has pillowed
on her bosom, but that is so Indifferent
and negligent now. or how she wearies
looking for the letter that never comes.
Alas, for the black ingratitude of life,
he has forgotten the old folks ut home
New Orleans Picayune