The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-09-14
THE FAMILY KEYNOTE.

ticket, but I voted for him just the
same said a man after the recent
election, watching the successful can
didate for county Office go along the
street shaking hands with his friends.
II declare like to see a young fellow
overcome the difficulties and obstacles
of life and push his way to the front.
He deserves all the help and encour
] agement he can get. George is self
made in the best sense of the word,
for his family never will amount to
anything. He has been handicapped
from the start, but I'll trust him to
surmount every obstacle"
He wasn't as badly handicapped
as you think" spoke up friend of
the speaker.
He's got mother who is always
encouraging her children no matter
how dark things look for herself. I
| tell you there are lots of boys and girls
in prosperous families who are not
brought up as George was. We've
lived neighbors to the family for years,
and I never knew Georges mother
to be anything but brave and hopeful
and courageous and helpful, so that
her children have had it taught to
them for years that they can make of
themselves anything they want to.
They are all starting we'll in life but
they are not self-made by any manner
of MEANS"
The family keynote has everything
to do with the future success of the
boys and girls, but many fathers and
mothers fail to realize it. Of course
there are young people who will even
overcome the gloom and discourage
ment of home where hopelessness
reigns, but how much better 1t would
be if they could look back to home
where father or mother, or both,
cheered them on in the hard fight for
success. The mother usually sets the
most potent example in the home, SO
it is her duty to keep sunny and hope
full. To be forever discouraging chill
dren with gloomy words and sad faces
is to take away their birthrighr of a
happy hopeful childhood, and perhaps
sour their whole future. Of course
there are family skeletons and fnan-
cial difficulties and sickness and sor-
rows, for every heart knoweth its own
bitterness, but some of the bravest
souls on earth are the ones who have
had all these things to contend with
and still kept despair from the door.
In one family where money was
very scarce when the children were
small, the mother always said,
"Things will never be any better for
US in this world. I shall never live
to see the day when our home is clear
Of debt and times more prosperous for
u.s." Her children assured her that
they would make better times when
they grew up, but she refused to be-
lieve their statements. "Of course it
will do no harm for you to try" was
ti.s sssast nnperFiI. HxfITeSsIUn onS ndeas
to offer, and 1t has done no harm.
That very woman was surrounded by
peace and prosperity after the lapse
Of few years and her children gladly
provide everything she needs. When
reminded of those old gloomy days,
she says she really thought nothing
could ever better her condition, with
out regretting that she was so hope
less.
In one home the mother always
sneers at people who have little more
money than she has, so that her chill
dren are growing up to regard all rich
people as wicked and worthless. In
! deed it is a common saying among
country people that town women have
nothing to do but dress and gossip.
The boys and girls are brought up to
think that if you live in town you will
not amount to anything and that 1t IS
"putting on style" to be careful about
dress, manners and speech. We all
know rich men and women in the
country who pride themselves on their
shabby clothes, and thus teach their
boys and girls that it is a sin to dress
neatly. One country woman takes
delight in saying, "I'd like to have a
dress like that, but 1 can't afford 1t, !"
every time she sees her poor neighbor
in a trim gown. She thinks she is
giving the poor woman lesson in econ
omy by parading her patched and fad
j ed house dresses, but she is mistaken
and foolish. Economy is to be COM
mended, but not the false economy of
the miser. Save" is the key note
of that family, but some succeeding
generation may scatter the price OF
neat house dresses to the four winds,
without a thought of the woman who
STAYED at home from church and So
cial gatherings because she ''couldn't t
afford" clothes good enough to wear
to the gatherings.
| Always act and live as though you
were on the upgrade if you want to
set the right Keynote for your fami-
| ". Teach the boys and girls to be
| on the alert to learn everything pos
sible in the way of good manners, ed
ucation, neatness and thrift. Your
children may be filling the highest
places in the land one of these days,
and it is we'll to be getting ready for
anything that may come. 1t may be
you have poverty or intemperence OF
hopeless sickness to contend with, but
your boys and girls will one of these
DAYS go out into the busy world fol
themselves and cut loose from the ole
home, save for the ties of sympathy
and helpfulness. Pity the children
who ever hear, "It is no use to try,
from the lips of mother or see that ex
preston in her eyes. If you act as Il
expecting defeat it is almost certain
to overtake you, while bold from
always helps win the battle. Discour
age 1aziness and Encouragement a
you would unwelcome guests, ant
you will reap your. reward in the live
of the boys and girls now and till tn