Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-08-27

tages. Tile acquisition of a good home is
one Of tue first objects of life--a home
where the soul has exclusive rights home
where it may grow undisturbpd sen ling
out its roots into a er lie society, and lift.
ing up its branches into the sunlight OF
heavpn-a home uat from which tie soul
may go on its errands and enterprises, and
to which il may return for its reward
home which along he couduits Of memory,
may bear pure uourlShment to children and
children's children while it stands, and even
after it has fallen
recall a home like this, long since left
behind III the journey Of life aud It's mem
ory floats back over the with a shower of
emotions aud thoughts toward whose pre-
clouS fall my heart opens itself greedily
like thirsty flower. 1t is home among
the mountains-humble and homely-but
priceless in It's wealth of associations the
waterfall sings again in my ears, as it used
to sing through the dreamy, mysterious
nights The rose at the gate, the patch
OF tanSy under the window the neghbor-
ing orchard, the old elm, the grand machin-
cry of storms and showers, the little smithy
under the bill that famed with strange
light through the dull winter evenings, the
woodpiIe at the door, the ghosty white
birches on the hill, aud the dim blue haze
upon the retiring mountains these
como back to me with an appeal which
touches my heart aud mostens my eyes.
| sit again in the doorway at summer
nightfall, eating my bread and milk, look
ing off upon the darkening landscape a0d
listening to the shouts of boys upon the
hillside, calling or driving home the reIuc-
taut herds. watch again the devious
way of the duSky nighthawk along the
twilight sky, and listened to his measured
note, aud the breezy boom that accompu-
MES his headlong plunge toward the earth.
Even the old barn, crazy in every TIM
Der and gaping at every joint, has charms
for me. try again the breathless leap
from the great beams into the bay. | sit
again on the threshold of the widely open
ed doorS-open to the soft south wind of
Sprng-aud watch the cattle whose faces
look half human to me, as they sun them
selves, and peacefully ruminate, while, drop
10y drop, the disSolving snow upon the roof
drills holes through the wasting drifts be-
meath the caves, down into the oozng offal
of the yard The first little lambs of the
season toddle by the side of their dams, &
utter their feeble bleatings, while the flock
nibble at the hay rick, or pair of rival
wethers try the strength of their skulls in
an encountr, half in earnest and half in
play The proud old rooster crows upon
his dungbill throne, and some delighted
member of his silly family leaves her nest,
and tells to her mates and TO me that there
is another egg in the world. The old horse
whinnies in his stall, and calls to me for
food | look up to the roof and think of
last years swallows soon to return again
and hear the tortions of their musical
morocco, as it wraps their young, and
catch glimpse of angular sky through
the damond-shaped opening that gave them
ingress and egress. How | know not, aud
care not, but that old barn is part Of
myself-t has entered into my life, and
given me growth and wealth,
But look into the house again, where
the life abides which has appropriated these
things, and finds among them its home.-
The hour of evening has come. the lamps
are lighted, and good man in middle life
though very old he seems to me-takeS
down the well worn Bible, and reads "A
chapter from its halowed pages. A sweet
woman sits at his side with my sleepy head
upon her knee, and brothers and sisters are
grouped reverently around. l do not nn-
derstand the words, but | have been told
that they are the words of God aud | De-
Iieve it, The long chapter ends, and then
we all kneel down, aud The good man prays.
| fall asleep with my head in the char
and the next morning remember nothing OF
the way in which | went to bed. After
breakfast the BiOle is taken down, and the
good mau prayS again and again aud a.
gain is the worship repeated through all
the days of many golden years The pleas
SAINT converse Of the fire-sde, the simple
songs of home, the words of encourage
ment as bend over my School-taskS, the
kiss as lie down to rest, the patient bear
ing with the freaks Of my restless nature,
the gentle counSels mingled with reproofS
aud approvals, the sympathy that meets
aud aSsudgeS every sorrow and sweetens
every little SucGeSs-all these return to me
amid the responsibilities which press npon
me now, feel as if l had once lived in
heaven, aud, straying, lost my way.
Well, the good man grew old aud weary,
and fell asleep at last, with blessings on his
| lips for me. Some of those who called him
father lie side by side with him in the same
calm sleep. The Others are all scattered,
and dwell in new homes, and the old house
aud barn and orchard have passed into the
possession of strangers, who have learned,
or are learning, to look back upon them as
| do now Lost, ruined, forever left be-
hind, that home is mino to-day as truly as
it ever was, for have not brought it away
with me, and shown it TO you 1t was {
home of my boyhood. In it found N.
first mental food, and by it was my young
soul fashioned To me, through weary
years and maay dangers and sorrows, j
has been perennial fountain Of delight anC
purifying Influences. simply because it wa
my home, and was aud is part Of me-
The rose at the gate blooms for me now
The landscape comes when | call IL, and
hear the voices that call to me from lip
which memory makes immortal
! Thus the memory Of the past joins hand
with the experience aud observation of to
day, to illustrate aud enforce the philoso
ply which have proponHded, A home