, 1935-07-19
MuZish Father
Dulls Family
Summer Fun
nx OLIVE RoRERTs nARToN

During the hot summers OF Us
and 80 ! recommended the back
yard picnic TO break the mcnotony
OF the doIdrums. A letter received
from n mother went something
like this:
you don't know my old man.
He hates picnics. and he hates any
thing that gives other people fun.
I tried the back porch on him q
couple OF times and did he yelp.
"Al he wants TO do Is TO sit nc
the some old table and smoke the
same old pipe In his flat-tired chair
night in and night out and never
say a word. Unless I spring some
thing like q picnic on the porch.
Then he says plenty"
Turns Into GrumbIer
Yes, many n man n Ike that.
When he gets over his picnic days,
he gets over theml he wasn't like
that when he put on his Sunday
clothes and carried his best girls
basket two miles through swamp
grass, then proceeded 20 show her
what grand husband-material he
was by helping the ladies open stub
born Jars. build the fire. fill the
buckets at the nearest farmhouse
pump half q mile away, and wind up
by ~neglecting her most OF the day
while he taught the Riddles 70 swim.
Until the moon came up. Then she
suddenly became important.
Life's that way. Now when she
does all the work, he grumbles at
the suggestion of a meal where the
wind blows. Now that he has child
rem or his own, he wouldn't teach
them 10 swim If the Atlantic Ocean
were set In his lap - much less
eat cold ham and thin sandwiches
from q chair In an unaccustomed
place.
Excuse me. father. This Ia not
for you. I know what daddles do
for kids - how they do sacrifice
and work to provide. And I know
too. how proud they are OF their
children and love 70 see them hap
by. II Ii your brother the lady
speaks OF, and upon whom ! com
ment. The man out OF every two
dozen who dislikes the upsetting va
riations Of summer.
This is q word OF encouragement
rather than criticism 20 those who
simply cannot conform. But cheer
up. The grass Is getting It's rank
growth Just now: IL won't have 70 be
cut quite so often In August and
stiTl more seldom In September.
Johnny's bicycle won't be left out
every night as the days shorten and
cool, 50 you won't have to get up
nc two n. m, when your wife prods
you awake, TO 20 out In the dew and
darkness and skin your shins on
sharp pedals.
Mother Finds Life Hard, Too
Mr. vii. the screens have 70 be
patched much longer or the hose re-
paired. Neither viii you have to
shave twice a day nor have your
hair cut so often after the fall eQui-
nox. And / beg you to remember
that II you are having 10 so hard.
your spouse Is not having a Roman
holiday either. Twelve dresses q
week and fifteen shirts TO iron Is no
44A1s A4lQ bAAC OAAC AAAA4Ah AA1A0 W
smile about on hot days is the cook
ing.
III you are the one out OF the two
dozen who goes home to stay home,
IN the same old chair at the same
old stand while the family Is stand
ing round on n composite foot
waiting for you 10 say yes" to a re-
quest for the ECO OF a bit Of a hike
over the creek, or a tiny ride. or
even a meal under the morning
slcries - perhaps II you think twice
you might grin and bear IL.
You will be perfectly surprised
some day. say ten years from now.
when Jack and May will repeat
everything that happened. Things
that will have passed completely
out of your mind but are living on in
theirs as milestones back In the
grand lost days OF childhood.
And will you be proud OF yourself
then? I can answer that you will.
And perhaps you will think ruefully.
why didn't I do Il oftener7 7
didn't dream small thinR1 were 80
important TO children"