Convention—MAKING home pleasant. 
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should be no home deficient in books, flowers, pictures, games, and 
useful occupation; no matter how little money there may be, with 
which to place them there; this is what we wish, as concisely as 
possible, to speak of. 
It is easy for the rich, who, with plenty of money to procure them, 
may obtain all that taste fancies, or fashion dictates; but how to 
acquire them without money, how educate our children to cultivate 
a taste, and love for the beautiful, and satisfy that love, without 
spending money which their daily needs of food, fuel and clothing 
require is an oft repeated query. First, let us have books, good 
ones, books which will inform the mind, and improve the heart 
without being stupid. But you say they call for money, and that 
is true. Yet suppose the family to agree that by a little self-denial, 
one pound of butter less should be used during the week; that, at 
twenty-five cents a pound, would save thirteen dollars a year, for 
which sum a good weekly newspaper might be had — which would 
keep the family well informed on all matters of interest, both in 
their own and foreign, countries; Scribner’s or Harper’s monthly 
for the older members of the family; St. Nicholas for the boys and 
girls, the Nursery for the wee little ones, and one good book of 
travels, or standard work as the beginning of a library, may all be 
obtained. If some neighbor will adopt the same plan, and take 
other papers and magazines, exchanging for a time, as much use¬ 
ful reading may thus be enjoyed as most families desire. Especially 
we would urge on parents the necessity of providing their children 
good reading. They would not put a grain of arsenic a day in 
their food, why should they allow poison to enter their minds? 
Why should the purity of their souls be sullied by books ar.d papers 
w'hich only interest by the cunning mixture of good with evil, while 
gratifying the love for the marvelous, educating the mind to all 
kinds of depravity? 
With books thus provided for, let us turn our attention to flow¬ 
ers, as a means of making home pleasant. Why should a family 
with little money, and many needs for it, be without flowers? Why 
should their table lack the delicate spring vegetables, the small 
fruits and large, which others enjoy? Why should the daughters 
in the home disregard what adds beauty, grace and comfort to the 
homes of the rich? They are generally the ones whose tastes are 
consulted, whose wishes are the basis of family action. If the 
