Milford chronicle., 1938-02-04
LOOKING FOR CONVERSATIONS
Hilda Richmond


children, in a home where money
was always scarce, laid their sing
ularly joyful childhood to the fact
that their mother had taught them
the game of "COmpensations," as
she called it. With six lively children
for whom to cook ami sew and mend
Mrs. Albright had little time that
she could set apart for the teaching
Of ideals. Yet such lessons were al
most constantly givon, but they
were an accompaniment as her busy
fingers few over her work. In teach
ing this particular lesson, or game" !"
she Ind told them that for every loss
and disappointment there are COM
pensations-"rewards" she had call
ed them. Her growa-up boys and
girls are still playing the game and
they are now teaching it to their
own children.
Suppose the rain should fall con-
tiDuOusly on the day OF the picnic
that would offer fine opportunity
for playing "CompensatlOns." After
the first burst of anxiety ana 6iSap-
poinTment they would begin to look
for something that would reward"
them. First of all, the picnic would
not be entirely lost but only pest
poned; second, they could have
picnic indoors all b. themselves;
third, they would be allowed to take
out the plaything box reserved for
gloomy days and never available on
bright ones.
Although they fondly imagined
that they thought ont these COM
pensations all by themselves. their
mother often unObtrusively added
many little touches TO help them ac-
cept defeats and dissppOintnIents in
a hopeful way. There wns nothing
of the idea of bribing them TO be
good and happy, but always the
thought of letting them discover
something that, while not as good,
perhaps, as that for which their
plans had been laid, still would
keep the day far from being a fail
ure from a child's standpoint.
On one occasion "A boy who was
visiting overheard that the coveted
auto ride to a nearby city would |
have to be put off on account Of a
shower. At once he raised his voice |
in a howl that could be heard all |
over the house. The six Albright !
children waited patiently for his |
crying to subside and then they be-
gan to enumerate the things that |
could be done on a stormy day. The |
visitor, a spoiled, only cniil. would
listen to none of them, so they |,
set to work to make taffy |
in the big kitchen, leaving him, dis
agreeable and unhappy, in the liv-
ing room. Presently the smell of
good sirup reached the boy and he
decided that it would be interesting
TO investigate what was going on in
the kitchen. The taffy-making was
followed by wild splashing in the
hitherto dry brook in their bathing
suits and, in quick succession, came
games and water sports right out in
the still-falling but lessening rain.
it was a day for the
spoiled boy to remember.
The Oldest of these now grown-up
Albright children has a large fam
lily himself. At a time when little
money could be spared for toys, his
boys and girls looked with interest
one day, but not with envy, on an
elaborate toy grocery store which
had received as a present.
When they reached home, they set
about making one that would be
bigger and, from their standpoint.
better, besause of the fun they would
nave making 1t themselves. They
hunted up tin cans, empty jelly
glasses and bottles and boxes, add
ng for weeks to the first small out
it until the little boy with the
'eady-made ''store" toy declared
heirs was much better than his.
With sand for sugar, bright peb-
lies for candies. and all sorts Of
nal1e-believes in the homemade bas-
tets formed out Of gourds and tiny ,
they have spent many /
appy hours without the expenditure !
/ a penny. This store Is their /
Compensation" when things so "
lrong, and they do not play with 1t 1
r work for It on bright days or 1
lhen outdoor sports like coasting or
or ball games can be en- a
lyed. They are learning to accept 1
ach day in a philosophic mood s
lille looking forward eagerly to an il
cipated joys, and they give prom 4
le of carrying into adult life the h
oise and good nature so essential t,
, success in any line of work. d