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Original.

TO FATHERS.

BY AMICUS.

How gladly would the writer gain (were it possible) the ear of every
father in the land, if it were but for the short space of one quarter of
an hour,--nay, some ten minutes, at a _propitious time_,--such a time
as, perhaps, occasionally occurs, when business cases are not pressing,
when the mind is at ease, and the heart has ceased its worldly
throbbings. He wants such a quarter of an hour, if it ever exists.

"And for what?" That he may have an opportunity to propose some worldly
scheme,--some plan which has reference to the probable accumulation of
hundreds of thousands? Nothing of the kind. Fathers at the present day
generally need no suggestions of this sort--no impulses from me in that
direction. They are already so absorbed, that it is difficult to gain
their attention to any matters which do not concern the line of business
in which they are engaged.

Look for a moment at that busy, bustling man; you see him walking down
Broadway this morning; it is early, quite early. May be he is calling a
physician, or is on some visit to a sick friend. He walks so fast; and
though early, there is something on his brow which indicates care and
anxiety. And yet I think no one of his family is sick, nor do I know of
any of his friends who are sick. I have seen that man out thus early so
often, and hurrying at just that pace, that I suspect, after all, he is
on his way to his place of business. That, doubtless, is the whole
secret. He is engaged in a large mercantile concern. It seems to
require--at least it takes--all his attention. He is absorbed in it.
And, if you repair to his store or office at any hour of the day, you
can scarcely see him,--not at all,--unless it be on some errand
connected with his business, or with the business of some office he
holds, and which _must_ be attended to; and even in these matters you
will find him restless. He attends to you so far as to hear your errand;
and what then? Why, if it will require any length of time, he says: "I
am very busy at this moment, I can't _possibly_ attend to it to-day;
will you call to-morrow? I may then have more leisure." Well, you agree
for to-morrow. "Please name the hour," you say. He replies--"I can't
_name any hour_; but call, say after twelve o'clock, and I will catch a
moment, _if I can_, to talk over the business."

Now, that merchant is not to blame for putting you