Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-03-12
oUR vIgnT.
HONE.

volume do these four little charac-
tiers contain. To the weary life
vOyager, tossed upon the storm
raeked ocean Of Toll, what recol-
lections does the tiny monOsy liable
recall. When the plOdding, brain
wearing and muscle consuming Ia.
bors Of the day have been disposed
of, and exhausted in mind and
body, he throws himself into 3
chair, and with closed eyes and
half parted lips, dreams over again
the sweet and enhancing dreams
Of childhood. He is again at the
dear old homestead, with its cheer
full, inviting aspect; he stands in
Imagination in the midst Of bis
youthful companions, and hears
away back through the dim and
dust laden years, the music Of their
merry voices; the old watch dog,
the companion of his boyhOod,
sports about his feet, or lie stands
with dropping and weeping heart
over the little mound beneath the
apple tree in the old orchard,
where In his childhood he laid his
faithful companion aud az this
picture like the changing face Of a
panorama, passes in review before
him, a tear wells up IN his sorrow
dried eye, a tribute to the purer
sorrows Of youth or perchance,
there rises before him the picture
of a happy family, and as his
mental eye rests again upon the
wrinkled, but kindly and loving
faces of Father aud Mother with
broken and anguished heart, he fol-
lows them again as he did on that
bitter day long since buried in the
past, when he saw them borne
away to surrender again their dust
TO the earth from whence ii came.
Oh! thst was a sad day, hut It was
no saddOr than is the memory Of it
1t racked that bosom, which,
possibly in the dayly transactions,
looks as lift never knew the mean
ing Ofthe words, sorrow or agony.
Why is 1t that there is a pleasure in
the solemn review Of these sad
figures? Why is 1t that the human
heart takes q delight In storing
away and carefully guarding, to be
up ever and anon, these, the
Saddest pictures Of fife? This is q
true picture shown In the life Of
every one. The heart clingS with
greater fOndness 10 these recollec.
tons than 10 those Of q brighter as
pect. When we give ourselves up
TO our dreams, we revel not long in
the sun shine OF the past! we call
not in review the merry, b~OistrOus,
sports Of youth, but somehow or
other these other memories come
stealing over US to soften and mel
low the heart ; the strong man, glo.
rying In the pride Of HE strength,
grows weak as a child, and emo
such as would bring q blush
ofshame to his cheek, should he re-
alize that he entertalns them, creep
Into and nestled away in the inner
sanctuary Of his heart.
But it Is OF that dear! that hal
spot Hong, of which We
would speak. care We almost
there2" earnestly asks the dying
girl, as we are told in that melting
"There is no spot like
HOME" All! none. How eagerly
the proud pOssesSor of II HAPrY
HONE, In which are stored the
brightest jewels of his life, looks
forward TO the coming Saturday
which will permit him to re.
main so many hours undisturbed
within lie bright portals. How, In
imagination, he behOlds pictured in
the doorway as the gloom Of even
lug settles around, his sweet, love-
ly aud loving wife anticipating in
mute joy his coming. All, now
he sees the glad smile spread
ing like a sunbeam over her face,
and in response to it, way down
deep In his heart, his good angel
too seems to smile, and he feels a
sweet flush Of joy spread all over
him. Then there are the children,
bright creatures, the sweeted jewels
Of the casket HONE awaiting
with childish impatience the hour
when their young hearts will be
gladdencd by the presence Of
Father.
These are pictures for those who
have HOMES. But know you not
the countless thousands who now
wander through life, who know
not the priceless blessing save in
name and dim and sorrow. burden.
ed recollection How the cold
chills would rush madly over you