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non-intercourse of life, or in the days of his decrepitude and need. I sometimes hear of parents turned to the cold charities of almshouses; sometimes, pitiful complaints of children's ingratitude. But, alas! how little has many a child to be grateful for, who repays with a simple usury the cool indifference or the harsh neglect of his earlier years.

As another law of home intercouse, I should say, not only have, and show that you have, confidence in your children, but give your confidence to them. I think as children grow into years they desire to have their confidence reciprocated, and I suspect parents would gain very much if they now and then took their children, even while they are children, into their confidence. That is a very proud moment in a girl's life when her father first draws her arm into his, and she feels herself for the moment in that position she has always considered as sacred to her mother; that is an epoch in a boy's life when he finds his mother trusting to him as escort and protector, but a more pure and genuine and wholesome pride is that which the first confidence engenders. It is the letting down of many bars, it is the drawing of two who need each other very near, nearer than many a direct act. I well remember the effect of such confidence upon my boyhood, how it drew me toward my father, and how he trusted me, asked and took my advice, explained

his purpose, and left me to work it out. I allude to this, because I think it an important thing in domestic intercourse, which is not apt to be thought of, but which will help to cement and bind parents and children just at that dangerous transition season when they are outgrowing the tutelage of childhood and putting on the self-sufficiency of youth. There are coming up every now and then in households matters which excite the curiosity of children, which we exalt into mysteries by our secrecy or evasion. There are very many matters upon which a growing child is capable of expressing an opinion, there are many things in which your boy or your girl can help you if you only think so; and it were far better for both you and them to put confidence in them, than that they should feel that they are passed by for others. Your own child is not unfrequently a better adviser than a stranger of twice his years and general wisdom; and if he were not, the mere showing of a disposition to trust him in your affairs is a valuable aid to the strengthening of his character, and the establishment of a just self-respect. We err greatly, and ourselves we lose much, by not leaning more on the generation that rises about us. I think this may be the one thing that youth wants at that dangerous transition season, that neutral ground between childhood and manhood,

to prevent its running

from the control of home to those scenes and companionships more dangerous, but which pay the coveted respect to its advancing years. What is, perhaps, the cunning of the world, should be the wisdom of the parent. It is not policy alone, but the mutual good of each, that should lead parents to give their confidence to their children. If they have that, they are far less likely to crave that which is less.

Let me suggest here, that no parent should, from false pride, or for any other cause, neglect to confess to the child when he has done him an injustice. Running through all the family should be the broadest principle of justice. It should rule in the dealings of child with child, nor less in the parental dealings. It is not possible for us to be infallible, quick, arbitrary, impulsive as we are. Judging from passion or insufficient inquiry, we many times mistake, and even when we would not we sometimes err. That mistake should be confessed at any cost. It will never do to let your child feel that you are unjust to it. It is inflicting a deep wound among sensibilities that cannot bear it. And think not your child will not appreciate your confession, and love you the more dearly for it. Have you never seen the surly and half vengeful look give way before the confession, "I have wronged you, my child," or found a sudden flashing of joy through the swiftly raining tears as the words fell

from your lips? I tell you, the man who will do thus gains his child, keeps his love, and increases his respect, and saves a spirit which might be lost. As a young man I felt the position of the College government, which would never allow that it was wrong, was doing a moral injury to myself and others, for which no mere learning could compensate. How much deeper the injury inflicted upon him who feels that it is a father or a mother who has injured, and refuses to right him! What is injurious in an institution would be fatal in a home, and the parent who should refuse to own to his child that he was in the wrong, would find that he had planted a seed which must inevitably grow and spread and bring forth much and bitter fruit.

Another law of home intercourse is courtesy. Good manners and kind feelings should not be company graces, but home graces. Again I say, there is no inherent power in the constitution of home that enables it to stand up against abuses. Most of all places does it depend upon what some one calls "the small, sweet charities; " least of all can it do without those common civilities which are prized so highly in the transient intercourse of life. Coleridge says, "The happiness of life is made up of minute fractions, the little, soon-forgotten charities of a kiss or a smile, a kind look, a heart-felt compliment, and the countless

infinitesimals of pleasurable thoughts and genial feeling." These are just the things of almost infinite value in home intercourse, and these are the things home intercourse wants. What need is there of courtesy at home? Why should I stop to be polite to those I am with all the time? They ought to know that I feel kindly toward them, to take that for granted, and not to mind the little oversights in manner and act. But home cannot do this. Its life rests upon little things. Because it knows your love, it demands the expression of it, and when that expression goes out spontaneously to others, it cannot but sigh. The heart is always a little jealous, and we must have a care that we do not unwittingly rouse its fiercer fires. Besides, I think the decay of courtesy in families, the absence of ordinary civility toward each other, the suspension of little charities, is something worse than a carelessness. It is the beginning of an end which it is terrible to contemplate. Intermit the pleasant interchanges of the heart, be polite and considerate to strangers, and in your home leave every one to themselves; admire and pay court to every woman but your wife; listen to and adopt the opinion of every man except your husband; leave your sisters to fight their way, while you flirt with other girls; or lavish your amiability and your accomplishments upon all except your brothers; in short,

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