Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-12-10
agricultural.
Visit to the Old Home

Visit to the Old Home.
The following pleasant talk by one Of the
editors of the Rural Net0 Yorker has the
kind OF rim, to 1t that will echo in the
breasts Of thousands of the sons OF farmers
who have, from various causes, lett Tor a
time the old homestead, where every tree and
shrub gives welcome. and old friends say
a. Charles. may our Thanksgiving day Ind
many Charles and Willies enjoying again
the sight OF the old walls they have helped
build and the trees they have planted on the
Old Homestead:
Il does one good to 20 back TO the Old
Homestead, periodically. If this experience
were needed t. make any one have faith IN
the doctrine that every family should have
its homa, wish every one could have SINH
lar experience to mine 1t was where | was
born Blessed be the man or woman who
was born on farm. No that is not cor
rect. Blessed is the man or woman who
was born on the farm and can 20 back TO 1t
and to his or her parents after thirty or forty
years of experience, knocking about the
world and jostlng against all classes of hu-
manity! That Is better Think of it
To 90 Home (what word y and straight
into the arms of the good mother who bore
you and feel both your hands taken IN the
warm ones OF the grand old father-thc aus
tere, upright (always) and exacting old
father OF your b)yhood-wh by look, culver
of liz, tremulous of excitement and JOY,
gives you more touching g welcome home y
than could be revealed in all the caresses
conceived of say all this Is worth living
for
If [ were not the eldest son, and liable &c
be regarded an interested party, | should
bring in here plea for system of entail
which would secure the Old Homestead to
the family through all the generations-as a
retreat, refuge. harbor, a landing place
forever and ever OF course, | know there
are radical practical objections to this; but
there are 50 many arguments born of the
noblest sentiment and the sweetest assOcia
tions, that however JudiciaIly inclined, Ii
would hardly be safe for me to have the
power to decide the matter.
THIS VISIT HOME
IS the fitting finale to my summers vacation
Every nook and corner Of the old farm ha,
been explored The trees and vines | helped
TO plant give me welcome. The stone wall
| helped to build stand as monuments o
fidelity; the stones have handled, ploughe,
over and around have no false faces for IA
they are the same and unchanged; ever
tree and shrub give me welcome. The oil
orchard invites me again to climb aud gathe
its fruit, the flavor of that found on eacl
tree being as familiar as the face of my vii
or child, or the tone of voice of my mos
intimate friends.
Then the ride through the neighborhoo
and calls upon my old friends-the father
and mothers of my school and playmatef
and upon those with whom | used to sit el
bow to elbow on the rough hemlock slab
in the old school-house-the being calle
Charlie :" again, as If | had never bee
from among them, is all worth living ha
a lifetime to experience Do you not be
lieve it, reader Have you never experience
it? Then are you yet TO learn one Of th
joys of having been born and brought up 0
farm in the midst Of simple, honest, uus,
phisticated country folk
| know this is altogether too personal
and yet my editorial instincts and cultul
would not have permitted me to have write
as | htve'had l not had the purpose of viii
moving some wheat from this chaff
waDted, before | got back to the detail sn
drudgery of the sanetum, to say some hin
of the
VALUE Of HOME
and of its compensatiOns, however humbl
uncOuth and incomplete, ID one who hi
been tossed about the world, if you pleas
as | have bsen for twenty years. Talk abOl
heritage for children Talk of laying L
for them competency with which to g sta
in life :" Talk of " placing them beyor
the reach OF want - Let the boys and cir
look out for themselves But give them tt
sweet, the always compromising and eve
attracting heritage of home that they ma
confidently seek, sure OF welcome and refug
and let 1t be IN the sweet, pure, seclusiC
Of the country Secure this TO them. ar
you have wrought for them what they wi
most value and to which, both ia days
prosperity and adversely, they will sure
and gladly gravitate.
Sell the Old Homestead Whv, | b,
rather lose every cent possess than TO kno
that the old home is no longer a family D.
session | want my children and grad al
great-grand children to play under the ohes
nut trees | played under, eat fruit from 81
trees my father and | planted, sing SON
beneath the roof where first learned to sin
and look with joy upon the sparkling al
radiant waters OF Ontario, which were Il
first my eyes ever rested upon. [ want 81
spirit | inherited, and which was born in II
'&oh tie Old Homestead, the attachment
the plase, to betbs beritance OF Fhe gener
tions that may hereafter call me "ancestor
Let your homes, men and tFettfeR, mean
this TO your children. The spot where
ni'ehildis born should ever after be- the shri
he sAobld seek in his pilgrimagtsA tres
ejsctfve point IN his life. Love- tf-home
synonymous with love Of country.
never knewa 'fuAAedgsa patriot who d
AZ anot 1oye bis country because it was his hpn
Z. Keep hshopes sacred and intact il, postib
Make it possible -.
.aalbl NowI GO back to the sapctum and to ,
| 'son Lhe4saruoss again This home, ,yslt b
thoroughbred me for Whatever work is ibetc
me- moro than the whole ,summer,s yal
tlon- 1t has cansed me to resolve to prot,
against this unrest which has taken poss
sienof the American poeple,ll Let, us St
and work ct home