Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-08
Sunday Morning Talk.
Taking Things Home at Night.


Sitting the other day in the inner Office
of a great department store, I noticed on
the proprietor's desk a number of wicker
baskets. Each bore the name of a sub
ordinate in the concern. to whom as the
day progressed the owner assigned his
specific tasks. But one basket was labeled
TO take home" 1t set me to thinking
about the various things which a man car
ries to his home at night and to wondering
whether most men have any settled policy
about the matter-whether along with the
papers and documents of purely pro-
fcssonal character are tucked In, now ana
then, little articles designed to bring hap
pIness to Wife and BARNS. Some men carry
tbs altruistfc idea to an extreme and al
most never return home without some tria-
| ket for the youngsters. Such profuse Civ
ing is almost as bad as entire neglect 1T
makes the children anticipate what father
| brings rather than father himself, and their
appreciation of the gifts soon ceases
But fghtiy carried out the plan of con-
Neylng something home every evening Is
an admirable one. Il is due to those who
are In the home most of the day that the
bHeadWinner, who comes and goes should
serve as link between the outside world
ana the members of the family circle
whose outlook Is far more narrow and
whose pathway is usually a good deal more
monotonous than the father or husband, or
that of the brother, in The currents of tho
worlds life. He perceives what is going
school. He touches up against interesting
individuals
Out of this contact with life he can
| bring TO wife, mother. grandmother, sister
daughter. that which will interest and
proht them. He can a the supper table
sum up In five minutes the important news
! MS paper conta!ns-not its gossip and scan
daL He can repeat the good story he
heard at the club. He can read the let
ter Just received from a friend at a dis
lance He can be fresh, strong breeze
breathing tonic and cheer
n sympathy with home problems IS an
other desirable article TO take home All
| day long the women OF the household have
been graphing with their tasks They have
needed the skill and wisdom of diplomats
| and caief justices In order to adjust fairly
the little disputes between the children
| They have required the administrative abiI-
ity OF captains OF industry in order TO d.
rect the affairs of the household and TO
expend economically the stipend which ia
theirs. On the whole our wives and moth
ers do quite as well as we should In their
places. at least well enough to deserve our
sympathy and support, our patient ana re-
spectful hearing OF their difficulties, our
best counsel with regard to ways and
means. Moreover, we need to carry home
an appreciative eye as well as tender
heart. Sometimes wives spend hours In re-
arranging the furniture or In making them
selves more presentable. and the husbands
never deign to notice the improvements
made solely to please them.
The very best thing man can take home
at night Is clean record. To be able to
say to himself when he turns the lock of
his front door. II have not made pile Of
money today but have not defiIed my
manhood-I have not prospered through
cruel Injustice to my competitor have not
DETAINED the weak. ! have at least once
today stretched out the hand of helpful-
ness 10 another'-5s 1t possible to conceive
OF better gift to present. to the home
rnore9 THE PARH0N