The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-02-19
Beautify Your Home.

There is not place in the entire country but
can, to some extent, be improved in ornamental
appearance and effect, with little trouble and at
little expense.
Farmers especially are apt to think because
they are poor, or means limited, they are unable
to carry out any ideas of improvement, or if they
happen to be well off, are always waiting for
some time to come when money will be appa-
rently more easily spared, or they can have
more leisure for the purpose.
In fact there is a belief widely current that
pretty houses and attractive surroundings do not
belong to the farmers humble lot; but to the
village resident, or those who come from the
city, who alone are supposed to possess the pro-
per taste and necessary funds
This is all wrong; and if country people will
only think Of it, they will find the subject an in
teresting one, will discover many and inexpen.
sive plans, and will be grati6ed at The subse-
quent effects.
Is your farmhouse homely, gamble-roofed,
and brown, and you think you cannot afford to
build new one? Never mind; if there is only
cheerluness within the old one, it is better than
rich carpets and discontinued spirits in new
one. Paint up your old brown house; you can
afford that at least-let the colors be soft or
lively as you like; shingle it over new, and make
the roof clean and dry; dress up your blinds in
beautiful green; Irvine around your porch the
honeysuckle or climbing roses, and wind up the
sides and corners of your house the ivy or some.
pretty evergreen climber.
Take carefully from your woods or fields the
evergreen, spruce or fir, and plant dozen or
more in front of your door. Plant along the
roadside few naples and elms in alternate
rows let your wife send few cents and get
some aower-seeds and bulbs, and plant those
along in front OF your parlor window. Then
wait for the gentle warmth of the sum- and watch
the appearing of the leaves of the trees, the
budding of the flowers, the suckles and roses,
and notice how quickly the creeper climbs up
the sides Of your house.
Wait until some beautiful day in summer,
when one of your farm friends comes to visit
you and yours; listen to their explanations of
pleasure at the simple and wonderful transfer
nations; look at the pleased faces and bright
smiles of your wife and children ard then see if
you don't feel that you are man, that you have
got something to compel respect from your
neghbors. Watch the travellers by your house
as they partially stop and look over your little
yard, and with silent praise testify to its beauty;
watch the influence Of these little things upon
your children, how rapidly their taste for neat
ness and nice things improves, how much more
cheerful they are in disposition. how quickly
they gain superior standing among their
school-fellows, how popular their home becomes
as visiting place among their friends. What
pleasure 1t is to think of home; when at some
distant day, any or all are compelled to go far
away into the State, how precious is the memory
of father and mother, the old farm house and its
pretty door-yard. But while they are all at
home, see how gradually books and papers find
their way into your house, how well they are
read and remembered, how insensby your own
taste improves; see how much better you farm
it than formerly, how well you get along, per-
haps not laying up much or any money, yet in
spite of the extra expenses incurred somehow
they are all met, your farm produces more, you
live better, dress BETTER and are more infuen-
tial in society
Tell me, then, whether it does not pay to
adorn your homes.