Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1869-07-20
HOME.

kinds. Some are poor, bare, uncomforta
bic Of nee sssitN of which we have moth
ing to say only to pity those who ar
compelled to occupy them. 1t may no
be their fault aud with such things a
they have, God would teach them to b
content. Others are rude and uninvitinr
through neglect and thriftlessncss, or be
cause of debauch and parsimony, n-whitl
case there is guilt on the part Of thos
who use them. An ugly unadorned home
with its chaos of disorder and furnitur,
of dirt and cobwebs is standing violation
Of the letter and spirit of the word of G cd
Our dwelling places are only homes
in a proper sense, when they are filleC
with whatever of comforts we C n bring
into them, and when they are made II
minister, by their influences, to the wants
of our higher nature. They are little
worlds Of our own, where we rule anC
enjoy, unrestrained and lmtrammeled by
lawful interference from abroad. Oul
vines aud fig trees growing around and
over us, we sit in their shadows with
none to molest or make us afraid and
there have every leaf, every clasping
tendril, every growing and ripeung berry
of fruit assisting in the culture of cur in.
tellects and souls. A home that teaches
US nothing by which we are made better
is not a home-it is only place. Tht
old words "pere Jrinari doms" express a
condition of physical residence and spirit.
ual exile that must always be f.aught
with acute misery.
There are many reasons why the home
of citizens are not more full OF comfort
In some places there is want of taste,
which precludes the possibility of their
taking an interest in any object aside from
its grossest uses They see no beauty in
ornamentation nor culture in order and
noatness. An old dilapidated house, with
distorted gables and shattered panes, is
good enough for them, only p:osided they
cun manage to keep out Of the rain anu
cold. They will live rs long if there be
no flowers in the garden, no trees in the
yard, no paint on the doors and shutters,
as if all were dai.ty with ncatness; We
men live, more natural y too, in the same
style of neglect and domestic debauch.
They care for no flowers for the garden
walk, for no vine to embower the door
or hang its tassels at tho window, for an
elegance or prorriety in kitchen, drawing
room, parlorj or any place. The h.use
that has a slovenly man for master, ard
a slattcrnly women for mistress, has a
curse hanging over it which will make it
a school Of vulgarity and debascment.
Not only will its gates fall down and its
violets die, but its moral defences rot
away and its fragrant virtues perish III
decay. In other cases homes are net
comfortable because Of the parsimony of
those who possess them. ...
They live to make money. Their
homes are their Offices, where they trans
act business fer again. Their sheep, cattle,
horses, aud swine must be comfortably
housed but as fer them ard their children,
they can live in anything. The horse
will take less corn and hay when stalled
in warm stable; their swine will wo;gt
more heavily in the market if projected
from the storms; but they can get along
with the rudest abodes and make shift ac-
commodatons In nothing do they indi-
cate that they have souls TO culture;
minds to refine, affections tc,o--vicw aud
brighten up BY the bountiful means he
has placed at their disposal. In the Cum'
berland Valley of Pennsylvania it used
to be said the barns were invariably bet
ter than the houses, and hence the aris-
toracy of the neighborhood was among
the horses and cattle. The criticism was
too severe, yet contained some truth, TO
get a GOOD barn was with certain class
If farmers. the main ambition BY this
their thrift was determined. This gave
them agricultural standing; whereas a
fine house; with its conveniencios ana
comforts, was regarded as sign Of oiie-
lnnacy and prohigate loxury.
Now it ought to be the effort of men
and women to provide themselves, wher
they have means, such dwelling places as
will help culture them and their chlldrch
and exert good influence on the taste
manners and morals of the neighborhood
God has made home sacred place. III
has erected altars in it where the occnp
ants are to worship, and where he vii
come to accept their sacrifice. lie ha
invested it with the rarest facilities, an
made it more or less typical of the plac
of everlasting rest Upon the home {
) the saints deccnds his holiest behcdictior
! and around it stands the angels ofhis pr
: violence with their leads Of benefits