The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-02-03

in exchange for the invaluable moral in
fuences which we have lost by our deser-
ton of the open fireplace. las. isthis
world so very bright, that we can afford
to choke up such domestic fountain of
gladsomeness. and sit down by its dark
coed sourse, without being concious of a
gloom?
1t is my belief that social intercourse
cannot long continue what it has been,
now that we have subtracted from it so
important and viyifying an element as fire
light. The effects viii be more percept-
be on our children, and the generations
that shall succeed them, thau on ourselves
the mechanism of whose life may remain
unchanged, even though its spirit be far
other than it was. The sacred trust of
the household fire has been transmitted
in mbroken succession from the earliest
ages, and faithfully cherished, until in
these evil days, physical science has near
" succeeded in extinguishingi it. But we
at least, have our youthful receollections
tinged with the glow Of the hearth, and
our lifelong habits and associations ar
ranged on the principle ola mutual bond
in the domestic fire. Therefore, though
the sociable friend be forever departed,
yet in degree he will be spiritually pres
ent with Us and still more VIII the empty
forms which were once full of his rejoice
inc presence, continue to rule our man
ners. We sE1l draw our chairs together
as we and our forefathers have been wol
for thousands Of years back, and sit a
round some blank and empty corner Of
Of the room, babbIing with unreal cheer
fulners, Of topics suitable to the homoly
Preside. A warmth from the past
from the ashes. Of by-gone years. and the
raked-up embers Of long ago-wiil some
times thaw the ice about our hearts.
But must be otherwise with our sue
cessors. On the most favorable suppos:-
ton, they will be acquainted with the fire.
side III no better shape than that Of the
sullen stove; and more probably, they
have grown mp amid furnace-hoat, in hou-
SEES which might be iancied to have their
foundation over the internal pit, whence
sulphurous streams and unbleathable ex-
halat;ons ascend through the aportures of
the floor There viii be nothing to at
tract these poor children to one centre
They will never behold one another thro'
that peculiar medium Of yision-the rul-
dy CLEAN of blazing wood or bituninous
coal - which gives the human spirit so
deep an insight into its fellows, and melts
all humanity into one cordial heart f
hearts, Domestic life if it may still be
termed domestic ~ will seek its separate
corners, and never gather itself into
groups. The easy gossip = the merry,
yet unambitious jest-the lifo-like, practi-
cal discussion of real matters in casual
way-tho soul Of truth, which is SO often
incarnated in simple firosida word-will
disappear from earth. Conversation will
contract the air Of debate. and all NOR
tai intercourse be chilled with fatal
frost
In classic times, the exhortation to fight
'tpro arts ct focis"-for the affairs and the
hcarths-vas considered the strongest APP
peal that could be made to PATRIOTISM
And it seemed an immortal utterance;
for all subsequent ages and people have
acknowledged its force, and responded to
it with the full portion Of manhood that
Nature had assigned to each. Wisely were
the Altar aud the Hearth conjoined in
one mighty sentence. For the hearth,
too, has its kindred sanctity. Religion sat
down beside it, not in the priestly robes
which decorated, and perhaps disguised,
her at the altar, but arrayed in simple
matron's garb, and uttering lessons with
the tenderness of q mothers voice and
heart. The holy Hearth If any earthly
and material thing = or rather, divine
idea, embodied in brick and mortar
might be supposed to possess the perma
hence Of moral truth, it was this. Ali re-
vered it. The man who did not put of
his shoes upon this holy ground would
have deemed it pastime to trample upon
1 the altar. It has been our task to uproot
the hearth. What frrther reform is left
| for our children to achieve, unless they
overthrow the altar too? And by what
| appeal, hereafter, when the breath of bos
tile armies may ningle with the pure, cold
breezes of our country, shall we attempt
to rouse up native valor? Fight for your
/ hearths? There will be none throughout
the land. FIGHr FOR YOUR STovEs Not
/ I, in faith. If in such a cause, | strike a
blow, it shall be on the invaders part
and Heaven grant that it may shatter the
abopination all to pieces.