The St. Mary banner., 1911-04-29
DUTY TO OLD FOLKS
FROM THE Chill
oREN is THEIR DUE.
those Who Have for Lifetime Bee"
r.o.r Workers Do Not Want to
set With Their Hands
Folded.

There should not be any unhappy
"a neople. Age should bring its COM
.ersations of serenity and philosophy.
& matter Of fact, however. the av-
.r.ee old man or woman is far from
content.
The problem which confronts sons
and daughters in caring for their par
.rts ia a grave one. Old age Is SEN
s,t,ve and the feeling of uselessness
alls many an active soul with rest
lessness and disconsent.
Il Perhaps the greatest mistake that
"a made by young people is that, In
their eagerness to relieve father and
mother or grandfather or grandmoth-
er of burdens, they take away every
thing that makes life interesting.
Those who have, for a lifetime, been
eager workers do not want to sit with
their hands folded, and so it often hap
mems that father butts into" his sons
business affairs, and mother med
dies" with her daughters housekeep-
ing. Then comes friction, and the son
or the daughter having shown plainly
that they desire no interference, can
not understand that their rebuffs have
scared the souls Of the anxious, &C.
live old people.
Il ID always well. If possible, to
provide something for the aged to do.
Il they can be made to feel that they
ue helping, their satisfaction will be
!. supreme. II father has been wise
hnancier, 1t surely cannot hurt his
son to talk over the affairs of the
store or Office II mother has been a
practical housekeeper, her daughter
1nssd not be too "snippy" to take ad.
] Vice.
One dear ladys daughter insisted
that she should sit with folded hands.
Then when the old face took on un-
happy. haggard lines, and the frail lit
!. u body dropped, the anxious daugh-
ter asked the doctor, What's the mat.
ter with herr"
He was bluff old person and he
Numbered, Give her something to do;
she's pining for action"
y But the maids don't like to have
anyone around the Kitchen" the
I daughter said.
Then let her 60 there when the
maids are out" the doctor suggested.
90 on Thursday afternoons the dear
little LADY cooked the dinners. The
whole family learned to look forward
b them.
Sne made chicken pies, and she
saxeds beans, she concocted sauces
lnd soups and gravies after old-fash-
noed recipes. and when they were
served she beamed across the table,
= = % say: Should be put on the
nell when l can cook like this?"
me duty Of children toward their
pandparents often forms a great
eossen. but believe that IL there
~ question Of preference it is the
paaeparsnts who should have first
e6deration. No child can be hurt |
2 eeing made to have an attitude of |
asssssace toward the aged. Often, II
psopIe are eccentric. the children's
paihies will be at once aroused II
nA them grandfather has borne
y nany weary burdens" or grand.
- has had sorrows" On the 9th
!. 80. 70 say, Never mind, grand
4. 49, = peculiar" or grandmother
will foster contempt.
49, sill be evidenced by the child's
S. e nose Of US who grow impatient
~ ~ faults Of old age there will
. ~ AZ Of reckoning. Some day
- ~. - wiil be old. Do we wish our
- - % treat us as we are treating
ssats! Would we be happy un.
= circumstances with which we
y. srounded our aged father and