The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-04-06
Continued from last week,
CHAPTER Y.

THE WORLD AND THE LIFE OF THE HOME.
IN the time of the second empire in
one of our pleasantest subprefec-
lures of the provinces. a little way
Il from some baths frequenteI by
the emperor, there was mayor. very
worthy man and intelligent, too whose
head was suddenly turned by the
thought that his sovereign might one
day descend upon his home. Up to this
time lie had lived in the house of lis
fathers. Il son respectful of the slight
est family traditions. But when once
the all absorbing idea of receiving the
emperor had taken possession Of his
brain he became another man. In this
new light what had before seemed suf
ficient for his needs. even enjoyable,
all this simplicity that his ancestors
had loved. appeared poor. ugly ridicU-
lous. out Of the question to ask an en-
peror TO climb this wooden staircase,
sit i'm these old armchairs, walk over
such superb &nuatcd carpets. SO the
mayor called architect and masons:
pickaXes attacked walls and dcmdlish-
ed partitions, and a drawing room was
made out of all proportion to the rest
Of the house in size and SplendOT. He
and his family retired into close quar-
tiers, where people ana furniture in
commoded each other generally. Then.
having empticd his purse and upset his
household by this stroke Of genius he
awaited the royal guest. Alas he soon
saw the end of the empire arrive hut
the emperor never
The folly Of this poor man is not So
rare As mad as he ere all tllase Wha
sacrisicc their home life to thc de
mandS of the world. And the danger
in such sacrifice is most menacing in
times of unrest Our contemporaries
are constantly exposed to It and con
stantly succumbing. How many fami-
ly treasures have they literally thrown
away to satisfy worldly ambitions ana
conventions, but the happiness upon
which they thought to come through
these impious immolations always
eludGS them.
To give up the ancestral hearth. 10
let the family traditions fan into dcs-
uetude. to abandon the simple lOmes-
lie customs. for whatever return is to
make a FOOLS bargain. and such is the
place in society of family life that if
. this be impoverished the trouble is felt
throughout the whole social organism.
To enjoy Il normal development this
organism has need Of well tried indi-
VidualS, each having his own value. his
own hall mark. Otherwise society be
comes Il flock. and sometimes a flock
without 4 shepherd. But whence does
the individual draw his originality.
this unique something which, joined t.
the distinctive qualities of others. con
Stitutes the wealth and strength of u
community? He can draw it only
from his own family. Destroy the AS
semblage of memories and practices
whence emanates for each home an
atmosphere in miniature and you dry
up the sources of character sap the
strength of public spirit.
1t concerns the country that each
home be world, profound, respected
communicating to its members an in
pursuing the subject further let us rid
ourselves of a misunderstanding. Fam
lily feeling, like all beautiful things. has
Its caricaturc which is family egOism
Some families are like barred and bolt
ed citadelS, their members organized
for the exploitation of the whole world
Everything that does not directly con
fhoy1, ie, inI .
live like colonists-I had almost SAID
lntruders--in the society around them
Their particularism is pushed to such
an excess that they make enemies of
the whole human race In their small,
way they resemble those powerful so
cieties formed from time to time
through the ages which possess them.
selves of universal rule and for which
no one outside their own community
counts. This is the spirit that has
sometimes made the family seem Il re
treat of cgOism which It was neceS
sary to destroy for the public safety
But as patriotism and jingoism are n,
far apart as the east from the west. 5.
are family feeling and clannishncss.
Here we are talking of right family
feeling, ana nothing else in the worlC
can take Its place, for in il lie i'm germ
all those fine and simple virtues whi,l
assure the strength and duration OF
social institutions. And the very has,
of family feeling is respect for the
past. for the best possessions Of :.
family are its common memories. Al
intangible, indivSible and inaleunble
capital, these souvenirs constitute &.
pcred fund that each member Of !:
-amlly ought to consider more pre-.
cious than anything else he possesses.
They exist in dual form. in idea ant
in fact. They show themselves in Ian
guage, habits Of thought, sentiments
even instincts. and one sees them ma.
terialiZed in portraits, furniture, build.
ings, dress songs. To profane eyes
they are nothing; to the eyes of those
who know how to appreciate the things
Of the family they are relics wit
which one should not part at any price
But what generally happens in om
day? Wordlness wars upon the sen
timent of family, and | know of nc
strife more lmpassloned. BY great
means and small. by all sorts of ney,