National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-10-18
Hs~eksepIns versa. u-oLeepIuz.

The trucst homes arc often In houses not
especially we'll kept, where the comfort and
happiness Of the inmates, rather than the
preservation of the furniture, is first con-
suited. The object OF home Is to be the GEN.
tire, tho point of tcndcrest interest, the pivot
on which the family life turns. The first 70.
quisitc Is to make 1t attractive, so attractive
that none OF Its inmates shall care to liuger
long outside Its limits. All legitimate means
should be employed to this end, aud no effort
spared that can contribute to the purpose.
Many houses called homes, kept with wavy
neatness by painstaking, anxious women, are
so oppressive In their nicely as to exclude all
homc-fceling from their spotless precincts.
The very name Of home Is synonymous with
personal freedom aud relaxation from care.
But neither Of these can be felt where such a
mania for external cleanliness pervades the
household as TO render everything else sub-
seryient thereto. Many housewives, II they
see a speck on floor or wall, or even scrap
of thread or bit Of paper on the floor, rush
at 1t as II 1t were the seed OF pcstllcnce,
which must DO removed on the Instant.
Their temper depends upon their nainte-
nance Of perfect purity and order. II there
be any failure on their part, or any conibina-
ton Of circumstances against them, they fall
into q pathetic despair, and can hardly BIO
lifted out. They donot see that cheerfulncss
Is more needful 10 home than all the spotlcss-
ness that ever shoue. Their disposition to
wage war upon Indebtedness OF any sort In
creases until they become slaves OF the broom
and dust-pan. Neatnc,s Is one thing, and a
state of perpetual housc-elcaninS quite
qnother.
that certain things and apartments arc too
good for daily use. Hence, chars and sofas
arc covered, aud rooms shut up, save for
special occasions, when they are permitted TO
reveal their violated sacredness In manner
that mars every pretcnce OF Hospitality.
Nothing should be bought which Is consld-
cred too fue for the fullest domestic appro-
prlation. Far better is the planest furniture,
on which the children can climb, than saith
aud damask which must be viewed with rev.
erencc. Where anything Is reserved or OK.
cluded, to disguise the fact Is extremely dlfii-
cult. 4 chilly air wraps II round, aud the
repulsiou OF strangeness Is experienced by
tho most insensible. ..
There arc few persons who have not visited
houses where they have been introduced u
what Is known as the company parlor. They
must remember how uncomfortable they
were while sitting In II; how they found II
almost impossible to be ut ease, and mainly
for the reason that their host and hostess
were not themselves nj ease. The childrer
were watched with lynx eyes, lest they should
displace or soil something; so that the enter
tainment Of friends became very much ike Q
social discipline. They must recall, too, how
sweet the fresh air seemed out of doors, ant
how they inwardly vowed, In leaving that
temple Of form and fdgctlness, that some
thing more than politcness would be required
TO incite them to return.
Home h not o name, nor form, nor
routine; II Is spirit, presence, prinel
not make II. Il must get Its light and sweet
meas from those who inhablt IL, from flower
and sunshine, from the sympathetic nature
which, In their exercise OF sympathy, can la
aside tho tyranny OF the broom and the aw
full duty Of endless scrubbing. --Scrib',er's 70
OctobtJ