The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-06-27
Homo, tho Residence.

propose to say something Of the House,
"a part Of the house too little considered,
which yet has moro to do with the character
Of home than We are aware. II the prairie,
tho mountain, the sea-side. the environments
Of nature. are felt to have large influence in
shaping the character - things whose inhu-
ence is external and must be SUPERFICIAL
why shall not DO much more the house the
centre Of our daily action and affection mould
and control our lives? The child receives in.
evitable and indelible impressions from the
house in which he is brought up. Weknow
that by our own experience, and very little
thought will show that, as men and women,
our lives are still influenced very much by
the house we liye in. This Is none the less
true because VIC cannot always separate and
analyze these influences. cannot tell you
why or how, perhaps, but know that the
house live in shapes to very considerable
degree my character. Its situation, its con.
yeniences, its facilities for movement and for
work, the way It faces, the shade about 1t,
the figures on its carpet and its walls, are oil
unconscious educators and directors, not OF
my more outward life but Of that which IL
deeper within. It is the influence which
cannot be detected or analyzed which often.
times exerts the greatest power over us for
good or for evil. 1t is coming to be under.
stood by the philanthropist, that one Of the
surest ways Of elevating the poor man Is to
give him appropriate house accommodation,
make his house comfortable, convenient and
desirable-a pleasant place to think Of and
to 60 to and Mr.. Lawrence leaves legacy
for the building of "model houses. that
great discovery Of modern bcnevolencc, which
seems the only method in great cities Of coun-
teracting the terrible evils which spring from
tho filthy and crowded tenements allotted To
tho poor. In Queen Elizabcth's reign an
act was passed forbidding cottages to be
erected unless certain quantity Of land was
attached to each, and calling such rs failed
in this respect "silly cottages" Iwish that
law might revive, and that ePithct attach to
moro modern houses. Tho idea was to give
every man homestead, and encourage him
to economy in his wages till hc had secured
it. Had that idea been carried out and made
u fundamental principle Of the English law,
established by our fathers here and respected
by their sons, it would have proved OF i'm.
mense importance to the race, and secured
homes to that large clan which now knows
nothing about them.
I would place in the front rank Of philan.
thropy | would moro honor than hero, the
man who should set himself to building
homes for the pcoplc-buildings neat. snug,
separate, and in good taste, W which man
would be content to live in for years, and
would come to love. But better than this
will it be when every man shall build his own
home, or shall find that which shall be his
home. Is this the impossible thing many
make It? Perhaps SO, If we IRE to foster the
foolish notion that we must equal or eclipse
our neighbor perhaps SO IL we have to wait
to grow rich before We can have homes
But think the essentials Of q home are near
er every mans reach than no supposcs. a
house to be true home must bc strictly
adapted to the owners position in society.
his calling and means. The houses Of the
laborer, the mechanic, the merchant, the
professional man, must differ as their callngs
do. could not be ut home in laborer's
house, or he in mine. IL you build or buy
otherwise. you leopard the home. Now, !
believe that every industrious laborer or me-
chanic may have home of his, IL he will
drop all ambition, and, to use the homely
proverb, "cut his coat according to his
cloth" 1t is not large houses, costly hous-
.cs, the houses with all the modern convent.
ences, which make the homes. but the hous.
es adapted to the circumstances and wants Of
the individual. l do not say II would BE-
perfectly easy for man with only hiS hands
tp depend upon-cspecially for q young man
to secure home Of his own; but without
waiting for class Of men whom it is to be
hoped God in his own good time will raise
up, who shall assist the young and deserving
in securing homes, or, more hopelcssly still
waiting until legislation shall recognize and
provide for this general want, is there not q
great deal spent by the laborcr and the me
chanic and the clerk uselcssly, which, II laid
by every year would make the owning a
home not the impossible thing It Is held
And might not the young merchant, instead
of giving in to the idea that he cannot with
draw enough from lis capital to buy nun
home. or that the money spent on a home f"
lying idle, learn that the BEST the 'urest,
even the best paying investment he could
make, would be In q home, which thongh he
suffer himself to be too busy to enjoy, would
bo place of happiness for his wife and chill.
drcu, In the flush Of your success you may
call your money idle which is not busy in
the market, buthOw many man in the pan.
ics Of these past years has had cause to bless
God that he had home OF his own-no