The Washington herald., 1913-08-23
BY FRANCES sHAFFER.

There are homes today-and we be
iieve they are greatly in the majority
that are founded on the sure ground o;
harmony.
Others, IN the unstable setting OF dis
cord and pickering, are slowly drifting
toward the rocks
Still others, with strength unequal tc
the storm, have reached that danger
point where they are torn and rocked
in imminent peril OF destruction.
| And alas! there is a fraction that has
given up the fight and gone under.
And the pity of I is thar some of the
folk who are in the danger-zone realize
their peril, dread the outcome, and spend
their time brooding over the shipwreck
of their hopes, yet do nothing TO steer
their home-craft away from the perils
and out into the open where the skies
arc blue and the way is Clear.
And some day 1t will be too late.
One of the finest gifts distributed to
rrortals is a sunny. lovable disposition
that somehow puts sweetness into every
thing and everybody: but 1t is not TO
be had for the asking and is not given
to many.
But there is a next best thing.
II we ordinary folk, with our ordinary
dispositions, our weaknesses, and all,
are granted the grace TO look ourselves
in the face once in a while. to see when
danger threatens and to know when to
turn about, there is a chance that all
may be well, in spite Of breakers.
Poison in Atmosphere.
Within my ken there is q home where
things are not bad down at the heart
where vital interests center, but there
is a discordant influence at work from
NAa o-I l. a1A AvTIrr r-AFe
the sweet home air.
There are folk in the world who simply
will not let go OF a grievance. It may
be a very real one and may stand for
wrongs multiplied, but in the constant
airing Of II there is endless woe. And
in this particular home II is this little
nagging, wearing habit that is rapidly
alternating husband and wife and is max
ing him anxious to close the door Of
home behind him, hard and fast, many
times wishing for an easy way out o:
the whole thing.
A period Of peace dawns once in q
while. Then he remembers the old-time
fondness and the old-time Joys of home:
but harmony does not last long, for that
grievance is never far away.
And some time 1t will not make a par
ticle Of difference whether there is quiet
and harmony or whether there Is an
atmosphere created by dIscord, for he
will have ceased to care. And 1t may
be that then she will wake up to the
bitter fact that she cares when 1t Is too
late.
And that Is why. when It happens that
perfect love- and understanding have
lost their hold upon a home and the
trouble is partly traceable TO one who
sui cares, II Is emInenrIy worm wnue
to have what, in this respect. is a next
best thing TO a really lovable DISPOSE
tion-a willingness to look for the trouble
and then correct it
Leaving Loves Way.
Is Il easy? Not at all For there is
generally a well-rooted belief that it is
only a case OF cause and eject. and that
ones deviation from the way OF true
love has been the direct consequence OF
grievous shortcomings and failures that
belong upon other shoulders.
But that next best gift OF insight un- |
failingly prompts the suggestion to drop !
the cause and work upon the effect, for |
Il is that that counts with one who cares |
For when the day dawns in a home |
when one has grown Indifferent. the |
other cares, It is the beginning Of heart |
woe; and the sorry part of it is that /
then 1t is generally too late to retrace
Did steps and start afresh, too late to
win back the old regard-for indifference
IS hard, relentless enemy to combat.
And one believes that half the mar
turned aside II folk, while they still
The face and, IL they found anything
I