Mexico Missouri message., 1905-03-30
Copyright, l3oLbuMcaure, pnalip, & Co.
CHAPTER Y

THE WORLD AND THE LIFE or THE HOME.
IN the time Of the second empire, in
one of our pleasantcst subprefec-
lures of the provinces. Il little way
4 from some baths frCqucntcd by
the emperor. there was mayor a 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 he had lived in the house Of his
fathers. 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
now liglt what had before seemed suf-
ficicnt for his needs. even enjoyable,
all this simplicity that his ancestors
had loved. appeared poor, ugly, ridicu-
lOus Ont of the question to ask an en-
peror to climb this wooden staircase,
sit i'm these old armchairs, walk over
such Suprrannuatcd carpets. So the
mayor called architect and masons;
pickaNcs attacked walls and demolish-
cd partitions, and a drawing room was
made out Of all proportion TO the rest
Of the house in size and splendor. lie
and his family retired into close quar-
tiers, where people and furniture in
CommOdcd each other generally. Then,
having cmptied 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, but
the emperor never
The folly Of this poor man is not 50
rare. As mad as he are all those who
sacrifice their homo life to the de-
mands 81 the world. And the danger
In such a sacrifice Is most mcnHCing 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 10 satisfy worldly ambitions and
conventions, but the happiness upon
which they thought to come through
these impious immolntions always
eludCS them.
To give Up the ancestral hearth, TO
let the family traditions fall into dcs-
uctude. to abandon the simple dOmcs-
tic customs. for whatever return is II
make Il FOOLS bargain, ana such Is the
place in society of family life that if
this he impoverished the trouble is felt
| throughout the whole social organism,
| To enjoy normal development this
| organism has need of we'll tried indi-
VidualS, each having his own value, his
| own hall mark. Otherwise society be.
| comes Il flock, and sometimes Il fO"k
without Il shepherd. But whence does
the individual draw his originality
this unique something which. iOmcl t.
the distinctive qualities Of others. con.
stitutcS the wealth and strength Of a
community? lie can draw II only
from his own family. Destroy the as
sCmbhgC Of memories ara practices
whence Cmnnates for each home an
! atmosphere in miniature, ana you dry
mp the sources OF character sap the
strength Of public spirit
1t concerns the country that each
home be world, profound, respected
communicating to It's members an In
| cffaceable moral Imprint But before
pursuing the subject further let us rid
! ourselves OF misunderstanding Fam
lily feeling, like all beautiful things, has
its Caricaturc, which is family egOism
| Some families are like barred and bolt
ed cltadels. their members organized
for the exploitation Of the whole world
Everything that does not directly con
Germ them is Indifferent TO them They
live like cOlOnists-I had almost sale
intruders-ln the society around them
Their part!cularIsm Is pushed to sucl
an excess that they make enemies Of
! the whole human race. In their small
way they resemble those powerful so
cletleS formed from time to tim,
through the ages which possess them
selves OF universal rule and for whicl
no one outside their own community
counts. This is the spirit that la,
sometimes made the family seem 70
treat OF egoism 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 81
are family feeling and clannlshness.
IcoNTNUED,l
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