The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-11-19

Z VERY day OF the 365 days III the
round year contains the same
number OF hours-twenty-fou and
no more. Yet, a summer day and
winter day are wholly unlike one an
other. and a summer evening is a very
far-away cousin of a winter evening.
summer evenings are made for happy
people who have no sad memories and
no dull regrets. They are meant for
lovers, for lingering al the gate, for a
last kiss. and hand-clasp, while the
moonlight bathes lawn and garden in
its flood OF silvery sheen. Winter
evenings are for the home. We assoei-
ate them with the cheer OF the hearth
and the bright open fire.
Darkness gathers early in winter
ard the evenings are long. They give
opportunity for cultiVating every grace
that belongs TO family life. One winter
night, some years ago, a man came
home after an absence and a long ride
over the hills and saw sitting by the
fire q boy he did not know. The farm
house had so large crowd OF curly
heads that a boy more or less made
little impression. NeighbOrs' children
We're always dropping in, and some or
them stayed over night, But this boy
was a stranger. The farmer made
some inquiries.
"That boy" said his wife. came
here just at dusk last evening and
asked the way to the nearest town.
He was thinly clad and very cold, and
seemed half starved. so 1 made him
stay all night He offered of his own
accord to help milk the COWS, and this
morning he went out and brought in
my Hndling wood. He seems nice
little fellow, without home, and
fhfVntr he vgCtt1H haftA- CT4W here "
He did stay there for the next seven
.ears with a place at the table. cloth
ug, food and schooling, just as the
children OF that home had. The cold
OF the winter evening had awakened in
the beginning the kindly hospitality of
the household. Such virtues as gener-
Osity and unselfishness flourish IN the
country.
When the long evenings come one of
the vital needs is 10 make them agree
able and cheerful for all within doors.
Nobody should be left out Of the tender
amenities of the home circle. Boys
from Is to IS have often reached rest
less stage in their development, when
they are very apt to slip away from
home If it be gloomy or frigid or in any
way wearisOme. OF all mistaken econo-
mics that which is too frugal OF lamp
light in the winter evenings is the most
deplorable. Save somewhere else if you
must, but have plenty of light The
Hving-roOm should be we'll lighted and
warm lighted but the boy or girl who
prefers to spend part OF the evening in
a separate room should have the
chance 10 do so with a shaded lamp
and sufficient warmth To make the
room pleasant
SOciability among neighbors belongs
to those long evenings, and to promote
sOciability there should be music and
games and Informal conversation, as
well as something simple IN the way OF
refreshment. 4 chafing-dish should be
a family convenience, and every home
should have its well-flled cake box and
a good store of nuts and apples free to
all.
There are people who pride them
selves on being unsOciable, who say
that they have no fitness for life out
side their families. The narrowest
woman I ever knew, the woman who
was least sympathetic and least attrac-
tive. though beautiful in person and
highly educated, had cultivated Ia her
self an Indifference to other people and
Il reluctance to leave her own home,
that made her in middle life a pure pet
rlfactiOn. There is such a thing as be-
ing too domestic, too exclusive, and
while the long evenings give great
scope 10 domesticity they also give a
splendid chance for sociability.
y = =
I suppose everyone knows that we
may form any habit we choose. a habit
of being well-mannered and hospita-
BILE, or a habit Of being chuilish and
niggardly. A thoughtful writer has
said that persons who mean TO grow
must make automatic and habitual as
many useful habits as they can.
Down among the nerve cells and
fibers the molecules are counting,
registering and storing up our time 10
be used for good or i'll when Oppor-
tunity comes. Nothing we ever do is.
in strict scientific literalness, WlpCd
out. or course. this has its good side
as we'll as its bad one. If We become
permanent drunllaTds by so many sep
arate drinks, so we may become saints
in the moral, authorities and experts
I'm the practical and scientific spheres
by so many separate acts and hours
Of work
What I wish to emphasize is that
We may form habits of application 20
study, of kind greeting TO friends, and
ot Knowing how To have a good time
ia the long evenings, il VIC seriously
determine To put them to some good
use It will be the greatest OF pities
If we let the winter drift by without
getting from il both pleasure and
profit. It is the period when the home
lines may be most closely drawn, and
when we may have tho most healthful
fun and enjoyment beyond our homes.
I wish some word Of mine could be
influential Ia bringing about one ur-
gently needed reform. In our cities
tho hours for social gatherings OF
every kind are growing absurdly late.
People come together at an hour when