The Washington times., 1906-02-26

LITTLE ATTENTIONS WHICH
COUNT IN A HAPPY FHWIl Y
The KEYNOTE to Successful Home life Lies in the
Exchange of Small CourteSies
and KndneSSeS

This home has just saved me-" re-
marked a young business man who
had fought his way up against big
odds from a house-to-house salesman
to the manager of a big concern If
1t hadn't been for the comfort of stay
ing here and being treated like one or
the family, and at the same time hav-
ing liberty to do things the way like
to. should have married the first girl
who came along, with a big chance
that both of US would have been mis-
cradle for the rest Of our lives"
In this little speech lies the keynote
! to successful family life and the ever
| widening influence which it exerts. To
| have always an air of affection and
interest about the home and stiIl TO have
each member of the household consider
the rights of every other member, re-
suits in an ideal circle of people to whom
life is a constantly increasing Joy. and
who are always able TO meet the world
with a smile.
In Small as Well as Large Families.
Nor is this ideal state of affairs such
/ an impossible one 10 arrive at, It is
accomplished by paying attention TO the
little courtesies and kindnesses of ev-
ery-day life, no one OF which IS too
small to be overlooked by any one per
son. And this is true in a small family
as in a large one. in narrow quarters as
In spacious apartments. There must be
| thougttfulness on the part OF all and
general desire not to interfere in curl
GUS way with the going and coming
of any of the others.
With husband and wife the very first
! harmonie5 are established by wife's
Hn ali
| her husband in carrying out his work,
centering her interests In helping him
10 be successful rather than in outside
matters which do not in any way con
uact themselves with the foundation or
/ every real home-the money which
/ keeps the butchers and the baker : ana
/ the furnlture-makeF' bills paid IN these
| days OF strenuous gra bling Ior th5
| powerful dollar, all the working ana
| business mems energies are ool4Sed 70
) be fosteTed for business me- ana a VII
has infinite number OF httis Mde
in which 10 render small attentions
7 that are Of invaluable service TO him.
Breakfast Hour Decisive Time of Day.
! ITnimportant as it may seem, the
| breakfast hour Is Il very decisive time
of day, and a wife should respect Il
as such by not bringing up household
or social cares These should always be
| discussed after and not before the
DAYS work. which occupies a mans best
/ thoughts during early morning hours.
/ Sorrows and petty grievances nave 10
| be laid aside IS the new day breaks,
/ and cheerfuiness must be the watch
word of the breakfast table Nor Is u
/ well to talk too much, for nothing as
sipates strength more than talking, and
many a man has failed IN business life
quite as much through the effects Of his
wife's iucessant gable as from his own
woTdy delays.
A Man Should Appreciate His Home.
| Another little attention which counts
much in making a man appreciate his
home is to be always at his command
when h. has unusual duties to perform.
Il there is a special piece of business
that has TO be attended to early in the
morning a wife should be up herself.
( too and making sure that his breakfast
! is served hot and appetiZingly. Or
when the order is reversed and he
comes in late, q glass OF milk and some
dainty left from dinner never fails TO
find an appetite, While the attention is
much more appreciated than the food
! Equally Is il true that every one who Is
! busy during the day wants their meals
/ at regular hours. and not served fifteen
/ or twenty minutes later than they are
expected.
But the wife should not be alone in
paying little attentions of this sort. The
/ husband has quite as large a share tC
/ contribute on his side. In fact. Ii lie
/ attentions are even more Indispensable
! TO a woman than to a man a most
! essential thoughtfUlness is an occasional
/ bit of fnery brought home Unexpectedly
! to her. or failing this, a man should
make sure that his wife has her recrea-
| tions as often as he does his.
He Should Understand the Expense.
| Then. also, a man should discuss
household expenses with his wife at
least once a week. not forgetting her
| personal spendlngs. Much unnecessary
! debt could be avoided by families f
expenditures OF the household were dis
cussed as often and as carefully as are
the finances in business concern. and
it is a mans place to see that ex-
penses are kept up to date. Many
women, in being Obliged to do il alone
have to sacrifice some of their own al
| lowance. when some slight advice or
worry and anxiety. And apropos Of
money matters, no man can expect his
wife to keen UP her end Of the ex-
penses If does not give her the
weekly G monthly allowance, whatever /
its amount may be, as regularly as he
receives his own pay.
But the structure of a congeniaI home |
is only begun by a thoughtfuIness be- |
tween husband and wife. Other mem |
beTs of the family, between whom the
bond Of affection is not so strong have
10 COHSiuSE gulit Is many IIIle aICen- /
lions toward each other that are no less
important.
Let Folks Know of Your Whereabouts.
There cannot help being a mutual in
terest among persons who see so much 1
of each other. whether they be related |!
or not, and a very essential duty is to /
keep them always posted as to your /
whereab bouts That is. sudden call out /
of town, an unexpected visit for dinner, !
or the night a some friends. or any de- /
lay in arriving at home on time should /
mean that some other member of the
family was notified of 1t immedia tely. To |
a careful housewife this is sure to result
in slight reduction of her expense ac-
count, while the entire household is as
sured OF the absent ones safety ard
comfort Postal cards, too, at regular
intervals, keep a separated member IN
constant touch with the remainder of
the family. and are welcomed almost as
gladly as a letter.
Remembering all stories and incidents
which viii be of common interest has a
value in maintaining the family spirit !
In one house this is q so1irca OF endless