The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-12-22
A Chat About Our Homes.
Editor Home and Farm:

I-bftol dllu
In the present generation we find
a tendency to drift toward the city
both among our girls as well as our
boys. Country life seems too stale
or tame. In most cases this is
fault of the parent, not the child.
AS rule, the boys ideal of a man
is embodied in the father. If the
father is success, nine time out of
ten his child will succeed.
Children raised by thrifty country
parents will always reverence their
childhood home, be their avocation
what it may. Memory will not
have more sacred spot than the
paths over which their child feet
battered trying to keep up with
father or mother doing their daily
labor.
But, alas, we ofttimcs meet the
child of a broken-down aristocracy
who has been taught that the soil
ing of the hands by hard, honest
labor is a disgrace. In such a one
we generally find the one most
eager to get to town" and the s25
month countcr-hopping job, and
in few weeks is ready to borrow 81
from his country cousin who comes
in to sec the sights" of the city.
Now, my friends, don't under
stand me as speaking disparaglngly
of our city bred and raised cousins,
who wouldn't know what to do out
in the country, however bright or
clever they might be. They have
their place, a most responsible one,
in the concentrated business marts
of the world.
What | would impress upon your
minds is the awfulness of the fast
growing rcstlessness and dissatisfac-
tion of our growing generation with
the common country home of today.
The great national question of the
day is not, "What are we going to
do with the negro, )" or tariff. It
is moro vital, more individual and
more spiritual. 1t is, "What are
we going to do to vitalize the minds
of our boys and girls at home, and
make it the mighty throne of inspi-
ration?" l hear some one say,
You arc all theory. Give us
basis to work upon" If you are
looking for a fixed set of rules for
making q home happy and attrac-
tive, you are looking in vain. The
government of no two homes is like
ly to be the same. Homes are as
varied in disposition as the minds
of men. What makes one laugh
might cause tears for another.
Have the making of home a place
of joy, pleasure and profit, as any
other part of your daily work. Do
not save the frowns of business
worry for your fireside. Do not
encourage common gossip among
your children. Do not teach them
to measure manhood by the mans
capacity to make money. Do not
teach them that money makes you
a good man.
olUtIlllillco Vic llISl QueSJlOll
asked about stranger is, How
much money has he?" ! try not
to be pessimistic, to think we, as a
nation, are growing stronger in the
attributes of ideal manhood, yet it
hard to do. In the mighty struggle
for power, fame and position we
have been led astray by false gods.
Let us 60 back to find tbs old
trail marked out by our pioneer
fathers, and with one mighty voice
| say, Il had rather be right than
President.
No place is more suited for this
than the fireside, and no fireside
more than around which is gather
ed a goodly number of robust, rosy
checked country children. Unso-
phisticated, uncontaminated, they
will drink in knowledge. Why not
teach them right2
| j. SIDNEY DAVIS.
J Germantown, Tenn.