THE OCCUPATION.

"The time will be coming--is come, perhaps--when your young people must
decide on the course and main occupation of their future lives. You will
expect to have a voice in the matter. Quite right, if a voice of
counsel, of remonstrance, of suggestion, of pointing out unsuspected
difficulties, of encouragement by developing the means of success. Such
a voice as that from an elder will always be listened to. But perhaps
your have already settled in your own mind the calling to be followed,
and you mean simply to call on the youngster to accept and register your
decree on the opening pages of his autobiography. This is, indeed a
questionable proceeding, unless you are perfectly assured of what the
young man's unbiased choice will be."


THE DAUGHTER.

"Certain it is," said Addison, "that there is no kind of affection so
purely angelic as that of a father to a daughter. He beholds her both
with and without regard to her sex. In love to our sons there is
ambition, but in that to our daughters there is something which there
are no words to express." "There is, however, an unkind measure by which
a few persons strive to avoid living by themselves in their old age.
They selfishly prevent their children (principally their daughters) from
marrying, in order to retain them around them at home. Certainly matches
are now and then projected which it is the duty of a parent to oppose;
but there are two kinds of opposition, a conscientious and sorrowful
opposition, and an egotistical and captious opposition, and men and