Butte record., 1856-12-27
HOME.
BY W. H. D.


Home! what blessed associations
cluster around that word, dwelling for.
ever in our memories. sacred and hal
lowed. yet varied as the ever-changine
phases of our mortal life. Let us,
kind reader, revert TO our first impres-
sions of home. We cannot get back
TO the period of helpless infancy, when
our very weakness was our strength,
and we reigned in the household with
power more supreme than that of a
ruler Of some mighty kingdom Then
all hearts bowed down in submission to
the silent charm of innocence and puri-
ty, while our slightest smiles of recog-
milton gave unspeakable joy, and our
cries Of anguish sent pang of sorrow
to every heart. This we cannot res
member but, perhaps, between the
periods of infancy and childhood, in
our first conscious impressions of home,
we find ourselves lying on a mothers
bosom-enfolded in her arms s--bathed
with her tender and undying love,
while her sLbdued voice is sootaing us
to rest with hymns Of melody whose
every sound Of sweetness, through all
our after lives, shall seem like echoes
from that time. Such are our first
dreamy impressions on the shores Of
time, and these shall linger in our me-
rnories till time shall be no more.
But not only with our first impress
sions Of houle shall our memories fond
ly linger; because tn re we passed
our childhood in its joyous glee, and at
tracted all hearts by our winning ways,
and there endured our first sorrows.
which, though transient, were as re i
and as bitter to onr fresh and tender
hearts, as thoss of maturer years
there, we played with our brothers and
sisters and there, We experienced the
hal!owed and blessed influence of
m"ther's love; there we received a
fathers kind advice and admonitions
there, we climbed his knee to listen in
sorrow to some tales OF human suffer-
ing, or glory in the triumphs of our
country over oppression and wrong
there, we rejo;ccd in the purity and
tenderness of a sisters love; and there,
we felt the generous embraces of
brothers. manly heart; there, We form
ed our first friendships with our youth
ful playmates, with whom we enjoyed
so much frolic and fun; there. burst
forth the ardent aspirations Of our
youthful years. when with generous
impulses and unperverted taste, VIC
vowed ever to strive for the right and
good; there, We're our earliest visions
Of the future, which seemed glowing
in rainbow tInts, with no clouds of sor-
row lowering upon its skies there, we
cemented the bonds of friendship; aud
there, we exchanged the fl st raptur-
GUS kiss Of love; there, at morn and
eve our youthful prayers ascended to
heaven while with trusting and unsullied
hearts, we con6ded in .viour's un-
dying love; there, was the school
house where we conned our daily and
irksome task, watching the shadows as
they shortened to the hour of noon, or
heightened with the declining sun !;
there stood the chui ch, here never
ending future first unfoldrd to our view,
while our souls aspired after eternal
things there, it may be, we have seen
the forms of loved ones carried to their
final home; and whose spirits have
ever since been beckoning US to ths
skies. There, too, were Christmas
merry -makiggs, and New-Year greet
ings there, were harvest home, and
thanksgiving feasts: there, We rejoic-
ed in the light of a joyons life, or sor-
rowed in the fear of IA coming death :;
there, we revelled IN the heights of
earthly bliss; and there, it may be, We
experienced events so tragical and SOL
cmn that we could not whisper them
in the ear of our dearest friend.
But let us turn from the home of
our early years, TO the later home of
our hearts; to that spot where we
have gathered all that is most sacred
and dear to us on earth /; for there, is
one, to whom we have vowed 10 be
ever faithful and true one to whom
we seem to be united with more than
earthly ties there, our fairest hopes
center; there, our purest and sweet
est affections dwell there, to our chill.
dren, come the home experiences of
our early years and, through our af-
fections for them, do We FIRST truly es-
innate the tenderness and depth of our
parents attachment to us, there, in
nll our tolls, our anxieties, our conflicts
with the world, do we find compen-
ssting joy, a bliss that nothing else
earthly can bestow and, if we are for
. time separated from such home,
how anxiously is the expected messen-
ger looked for that shall tell US, "all is
well :" in it will be found the renewed
vows of our affection; the heartfelt
wish; the fervent prayer that Ge rs
blessing may rest on the absent one !;
and His never ccasing care guard and
guide him to the home of his afec-
lions the ever peaceful haven OF his
rest.
The thoughts of Home! they cheer
the lonely travel-r in his weary pill
grimage they encourage the sailor in