Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-02-21
For the Nashville Patriot.
Ivy Leaves.
No. I.-THE FIPEsIDE.
BY RANDAI.

That life is full of uncertainties is undoubted-
~ true, that these uncertainties detract from
our pleasures cannot be questioned and that
there are causes for these evils is equally
true. We have been endowed by nature with
passions strong and violent. but we must not
forget that the same nature also gave us the
power 10 control those passions. Why then
do we Gnstead of learning the art of guiding
them over road. free from strife and carc.)
continually blow the Pickering blaze, until it
expands into a fire, whose heat soon con-
sumes all the happiness that is allotted to
us while wandering here amid the motley
crowd that are breathing away their lives !;
why do we do so. Let us see.
1t is circumstance particularly unhappy,
that these acquired evils originate from the
irreguarity of our tempers displayed at our
firesides, where all should be calm and
i'll -natured in the sight of the world, and so
very herocalIy reserve all our ill-temper for
our wives and children; hence. instead Of
making our homes (as nature intended them
the hot beds ofvirtue and happiness, we MAXI
by displaying the unpublished qualities of our
natures, the rendezvous of misery and con-
tention. The fact is they have degenerated
to a shameful extent; instead of being I'M
weeded gardens. where all that sprouts up
within their enclosures are strangled with the
fumes that arise from them, they should be as
garlands of blushing buds of purity each
one expanding in love, and beauty, from the
fragrance of the other.
The frCsde is most asSuredly well adapted
TO the enjoyment of all of all ages. among
parents brothers and sister; and all the ten
der charities of private life. the tender affcc-
tons which are always accompanied with
feelings of love instiled into our hearts by
nature, find ample scope for correct excrtion.
Such. and so sweet the hearth that minds
that have any degree of love for those that
are treading with them lifes path cannot but
exert themselves to make it even more so
than il really is, particularly when they are
encrcled by little wreath of prattlers, in
nOcent of the Importance of the hours, days
and years that are leaving them.
How sweet to every one who has been
member of a family circle that buddrd.
blOomed and withcred in all its purity and
loviiness. must be recOllectinns of faded
days; how oft can they recall to the mind in
ful tireside; death has blown away the sweet
est Of the flowers that hloOmed there; one by
one. they have dropped from out that wreath;
but their fragrance still remains lowering
around the soul, as CLOUDS around the setting
sun, hiding as it were the dazzling bright
ness of their rays; but To one whose home
has been constant broil of unhappiness,
there is no pleasing "reminiscences; he looks
back upon the days of his youth, not with
any drgree of fOndness or love; recollectiOns
of the ireside to him are anything but pleas
ing; visions perhaps Of drunkenness, and
debauchery, around upon him; he will not
allow his thoughts to linger upon such
themes, to drown them he resorts to some ex-
citing amusement which only assists to in
fame the already tevcrcd state of the mind.
Pluck up then the weeds that now are
growing around you and yours, let them not
live TO bloom and spread their seed upon
ground SO halowed; toll to make the fireside
what it should be, the sanctuary of peace,
purity and love.
NASHVILLE, February, 10Th 1859.