Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1887 — Rules for Family Peace. [ARTICLE]

Rules for Family Peace.

1. We may be quite sure that our will is likely to be crossed to-day, so prepare for it. 2. Everybody in the house has an evil na ure as well as ourselves, and, therefore, we are not to expect too much. 3. To learn the different temper of each individual. 4. When any good happens to any one to rejoice at it. 5. When inclined to give an angry answer to count ten. 6. If from sickness, pain, or infirmity we feel irritable, to keep a very strict watch over ourselves. 8. To watch for little opportunities of pleasing, and to put little annoyances out of the way. 9. To take a cheerful view of everything.

10. In all little pleasures which may occur to put self last. 11. To try for the soft answer that “turneth away wrath.” 12. When we have been pained by an unkind word or deed to ask ourselves, “Have I not often done the same and been forgiven ?” 13. In conversation not to exalt ourselves, but to bring others forward. 14. To be very gentle with the younger ones and to treat them with respect,remembering that we once were young. 15. Never to judge one another, but to attribute a good motive when we can.

16. To compare our manifold blessings with the trifling annoyances of the day. “Who do you love?” said Jones tohis sweetheart’s baby sister. “I loves ’oo.” was the reply. “And who does Sissy love?” “Sissy loves Mister Smif, toss he tisses her.” 1 Idleness is the dead sea that swallows all virtues, and the self-made sepulcher of a living man.