questionable amusements and worthy substitutes-第19部分

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We　believe　the　five　sweetest　words　in　the　English　language　to　the

largest　number　of　personswords　which　carry　with　them　intrinsic

meaning　and　blessing　are　these：　　〃Jesus；〃　〃Mother；〃　〃Music；〃　〃Heaven；〃

〃Home。〃　　〃Twenty　thousand　people　gathered　in　the　old　Castle　Garden；

New　York；　to　hear　Jennie　Lind　sing。　　After　singing　some　of　the　old

masters；　she　began　to　pour　forth　'Home；　Sweet　Home。'　　The　audience

could　not　stand　it。　　An　uproar　of　applause　stopped　the　music。　　Tears

gushed　from　thousands　like　rain。　　The　word　'home'　touched　the　fiber

of　every　soul　in　that　immense　throng。〃　　In　an　early　spring　day；　when

the　warm　sun　began　to　invite　one　to　bask　in　his　rays；　my　wife；　delicate

in　health；　lay　drowsing　on　some　boards　near　the　house。　　The　large

garden　spot　spread　out　to　the　rear　of　her；　a　beautiful　grassy　lawn

carpeted　round　a　deserted　house；　granary；　and　shop…building　in　front　of

her。　　She　was　living　over　her　girlhood　days。　　She　thought　she　was　in　the

old　home　orchard；　where　she　used　to　doze；　dream；　and　play。　　The　songs

of　the　birds　seemed　the　same；　the　same　gentle　breezes　played　with　her

hair；　the　same　passers…by　jogged　along　the　roadside；　the　same　family

horse　nibbled　the　tender　grass　in　the　barnyard。　　How　sad；　and　yet　how

sweet　are　the　memories　of　early　days！　　The　tender　associations　of　home

never　leave　one；　however　roughly　the　coarse　hand　of　time　would　tear

them　away。　　It　is　because　home　means　love　that　its　associations　and

lessons　remain。





ESSENTIALS　TO　A　HAPPY　HOME。



Although　home　means　love；　yet　love　alone　may　not　insure　happiness。

In　addition　to　love；　without　which　a　true　home　can　not　exist；　we　select

four　essential　requisites　to　make　home　life　useful　and　happy。　　These

are　intelligence；　unselfishness；　attractiveness；　and　religion。



First；　Intelligence。　　Much　of　the　misery　of　the　world　in　individual　and

family　life　is　due　to　gross　ignorance。　　Once　the　father　of　a　family　said

to　me；　〃We　did　not　get　our　mail　to…day；　I　miss　my　reading。〃　　Knowing

the　man　we　were　surprised　at　such　a　remark；　and　ventured　to　ask　him

what　papers　he　took。　　A　list　of　ten　or　a　dozen　papers　was　named。　　All

of　them　were　newspapers。　　One　was　a　general　daily；　two　were　local

dailies；　and　the　rest　were　local　weekly　papers。　　No　intelligent　person

would　have　carried　over　three　of　those　papers　from　the　post…office。

This　man　spent　hours　upon　a　class　of　reading　that　should　be　finished

with　a　few　minutes　each　day。　　In　this　same　family　the　mother　told　me

that　she　had　never　rode　on　a　railway　train；　and　that　she　had　never　been

outside　of　her　own　county。　　This　is　an　exceptional　case；　but　it　illustrates

how　that　ignorance　makes　thrift　and　happiness　impossible　in　a　home；

neither　of　which　belong　to　this　family。　　Here　every　law　of　health　is

violated；　foresight　in　providing　for　the　physical　comforts　of　the　home

is　wanting；　little　attention　is　given　to　the　education　of　the　children；　no

sacrifices　to…day　enrich　to…morrow；　life　is　a　humdrum；　a　routine；　a

dread；　with　no　exuberance；　joy；　or　hope。　　In　time；　such　a　life　leads　to

failure　and　gloom；　to　secret；　then　to　open　vice；　and　to　a　final　shipwreck

of　the　home　and　of　the　individual。　　In　a　similar　yet　in　a　less　marked　way；

the　career　of　many　a　home　is　ended。　　No　one　may　be　directly　to　blame；

but　want　of　common　knowledge　and　common　wit　have　set　a　limit

beyond　which　such　a　family　may　not　go。　　The　intelligent　family　has

some　sort　of　a　history　which　it　is　their　privilege　and　duty　to　perpetuate。

Members　of　the　intelligent　family　are　moral　sponsors　for　one　another；

the　mother　for　the　daughters；　the　father　for　the　sons；　the　brothers　and

sisters　for　one　another。　　They　find　their　own　best　interests　in　the　interests

of　one　another。　　The　intelligent　family　is　not　superstitious。　　They　act　upon

the　wisdom　of　the　ancient　poet；　〃every　one　is　the　architect　of　his　own

fortune。〃　　They　look　to　cause　and　condition　for　results。　　They　spell　〃luck〃

with　a　〃p〃　before　it。　　The　intelligent　farmer　plants　his　crop　in　the　ground；

rather　than　in　the　moon；　and　looks　for　his　harvest　to　the　seed　and　the

toil。　　The　intelligent　merchant　locates　his　business　on　the　street　of　largest

travel　and　makes　the　buying　of　his　goods　his　best　salesman。　　The　intelligent

man　of　letters　thrives　at　first　by　making　friends　of　poverty　and　want；　until

one　day　his　genius　places　his　name　in　the　temple　of　honor。　　So　it　is　with　the

artist；　the　musician；　the　inventor；　the　architect。　　To　be　happy　and　useful

in　one's　lot；　one　must　know　something　of　the　sphere　in　which　he　lives　and

works；　of　its　practical　wisdom；　and　must　be　prepared　to　live；　or　glad　to

die　for　the　cause　he　serves。　　No　indolent；　superstitious；　or　ignorant　family

need　look　for　abiding　happiness　nor　expect　to　be　permanently　useful。



Then　unselfishness　is　essential　to　happy　home　life。　　It　is　a　serious

matter　for　two　persons；　even　when　they　are　naturally　mated；　to

undertake　to　live　together　in　peace　and　harmony。　　It　is　a　more　serious

matter　when　they　are　not　naturally　mated。　　It　is　more　serious　still

when　children　enter　the　home；　for　they　bring　with　them　conflicting

tendencies；　dispositions；　and　wills。　　Often　have　we　wondered　how　it

is　that　families　get　on　as　well　together　as　they　do　when　we　have

considered；　what　natural　differences　exist　between　them；　and　what

little　teaching　and　discipline　have　been　used　to　harmonize　these

differences。　　An　harmonious　home　is　truly　begun　in　the　parental

homes　of　the　husband　and　wife。　　Two　persons　may　be　perfectly

suited　to　one　another；　and　yet　they　may　be　selfish　in　wanting　their

own　way。　　As　one　grows　up；　if　he　is　allowed　to　have　his　own　way

regardless　of　the　rights　and　privileges　of　others；　he　becomes　a

selfish　person；　and　his　parents　are　to　blame。　　A　selfish　person　in　the

home　plans　for　his　own　comfort；　decides　and　acts　as　he　wishes；　and

seeks　to　satisfy　his　own　desires。　　He　does　not　take　into　consideration

the　plans；　wishes；　and　desires　of　other　members　of　the　family。　　It　is

understood　that　his　authority　is　supreme。　　Not　one　member　of　the

family　dreams　of　expressing　dissent　to　his　dominion。　　A　so…called

peace　of　this　sort　is　not　uncommon　among　families。　　This　supreme

authority　may　be　vested　in　husband；　or　wife；　or　in　one　or　all　of　the

children。　　A　forced　peace　of　this　kind　is　worse　than　rebellion　and　is

as　bad　as　open　war。　　How　can　any　persons　be　so　presumptuous　as　to

think　that　any　person；　or　a　number　of　persons；　exist　solely　for　his

comfort　and　advantage！　　Let　two　such　selfish　persons　get　together；

a　permanent　riot　is　assured。　　Unselfishness　in　the　home　means

thoughtfulness；　discipline；　self…control。　　Each　child　is　taught　the

rights　and　privileges　of　others　as　well　as　his　own。　　When　two

unselfish　persons　join　their　lives　there　begins　a　holy　and　beautiful

rivalry　in　seeking　the　rights　and　privileges　of　one　another。　　The　very

atmosphere　of　such　a　home　is　deference；　respect；　and　love。　　As　the

stranger；　the　neighbor；　the　friend；　comes　and　goes；　he　catches　the

spirit　of　it　and　carries　it　with　him　into　his　own　and　other　homes。

Children　born　into　such　a　home　early　imbibe　its　spirit；　and；　O；　the

inspiration　one　receives　from　going　into　that　family　circle！　　No

home…life　can　be　an　inspiration　and　a　blessing　where　selfishness　is

allowed　to　reign。　　Nor　can　it　be　useful　and　happy。



Ella　Wheeler　Wilcox　describes　a　selfish；　though　a　kind　and　loving

husband：





THEIR　HOLIDAY。



THE　WIFE：



Our　house　is　like　a　garden

　　The　children　are　the　flowers；

The　gardener　should　come；　methinks；

　　And　walk　among　his　bowers。

So　lock　the　door　of　worry；

　　And　shut　your　cares　away；

Not　time　of　year；　but　love　and　cheer；

　　Will　make　a　holiday。



THE　HUSBAND：



Impossible！　　You　women　do　not　know；

The　toil　it　takes　to　make　a　business　grow：

I　can　not　join　you　until　very　late；

So　hurry　home；　nor　let　the　dinner　wait。



THE　WIFE：



The　feast　will　be　like　Hamlet；

　　Without　the　Hamlet　part；

The　home　is　but　a　house；　dear；

　　Till　you　supply　the　heart。

The　Christmas　gift　I　long　for

　　You　need　not　toil　to　buy；

O；　give　me　back　one　thing　I　lack：

　　The　love…light　in　your　eye。



THE　HUSBAND：



Of　course　I　love　you；　and　the　children；　too。

Be　sensible；　my　dear。　　It　is　for　you

I　work　so　had　to　make　my　business　pay；

There；　now；　run　home；　enjoy　your　holiday。



THE　WIFE；　TURNING　AWAY：



He　does　not　mean　to　wound　me；

　　I　know　his　heart　is　kind；

Alas；　that　men　can　love　us；

　　And　be　so　blindso　blind！

A　little　time　for　pleasure；

　　A　little　time　for　play；

A　word　to　prove　the　life　of　love

　　And　frighten　care　away

Though　poor　my　lot；　in　some　small　cot；

　　That　were　a　holiday。





To　preserve　the　family　circle；　the　home　must　be　made　attractive。　　No

amount　of　practical　wisdom；　of　Puritanic　piety；　nor　mere　kindly

treatment　will　hold　a　family　of　children　together　until　they　are　strong

enough　to　resist　the　temptations　of　the　world。　　The　home　must　be　made

more　attractive　than　the　street　or　places　of　amusement。　　The　average

boy　or　girl　who　loses　interest　in　home　and　uses　it　chiefly　as　an　eating

and　sleeping　place；　does　so　with　good　reasons。　　Home　has　lost　its

charm。　　No　provision　is　made　for　his　pastime　and　pleasure。　　Not

finding　this　at　home　he　will　go　elsewhere　in　search　of　it。　　〃An

unattractive　home；〃　says　one；　〃is　like　the　frame　of　a　harp　that　stands

without　strings。　　In　form　and　outline；　it　suggests　music；　but　no　melody

arises　from　the　empty　spaces；　and　thus　it　is　an　unattractive　home；　is

dreary　and　dull。〃　　How　may　home　be　made　attractive？　　We　have

presupposed　a　certain　amount　of　education　and　culture　in　the　home

by　maintaining　for　it　intelligence　and　unselfishness。　　Any　home　that

is　intelligent　and　unselfish　is　capable　of　being　made　attractive。　　In

the　first　place；　in　as　far　as　it　is　practicable；　each　member　of　the　family

should　have　a　room　of　his　own　and　be　taught　how　to　make　it　attractive。

Here；　one　will　hang　his　first　pictur