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good fruit morally and physically. A family happy enough to have a
little higher endowment, and a little more cultivation, so that one
plays a violin, one a flute, and so on, may have a little private
orchestra which may give as much enjoyment, and, all things considered,
may be as elevating, as the perfect work of great musicians. It seems to
me that any father and mother who wish the home to be dear to their
children can afford to spend money on music far better than on many
things considered more essential--clothes for, example.

But all the family circle ought be able to join in the evening
occupations. If only one is a musician, but a small part of each evening
can be given to music. On the other hand, I have no mercy for the young
lady who has had time and money lavished on her musical education, who
will not take the trouble to play to her brothers in the evening. If she
distrusts her powers she need never play to other people who may ask her
out of compliment; but when brothers ask their sisters to play, they
mean that they want the music, and they should have it.

Chatting is pleasant in the evening, and does not interfere with a dozen
other occupations. One can even read a newspaper or a novel while the
rest are talking. Little twilight chats by the fire when the children
confess their misdemeanors to their mother, or when the mother tells
stories to the children, are full of the spirit of home, and there
always ought to be some leisurely hours in every family when the father
and mother and the grandfather and grandmother can relate old
experiences to the younger generation. If the older people would only
remember to tell these tales for the sake of the younger and not to
gratify their own garrulity, so that they would dwell more on the events
and customs and people of the past which ought to have a permanent
interest, I believe such chat would always be of the highest value, and
that the young would like it as well as the old; but when it is mere
gossip about people long dead the young have a right to be restless.
There is always danger that chat will degenerate into gossip, so it is
not generally best to have too many evenings devoted entirely to
conversation.

The right kind of reading and music seem to me far better occupations
for home evenings than games. There is too much hard work in chess and
whist and too little sociability to make them in any way desirable.
Euchre and backgammon seem invented t