American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-15
The Value OF Beauty.

AT recent agricultural meeting in
Pennsylvania it was discussed whether il
was worth while, from a monetary point
of view, to ornament farm grounds. II
is remarkable that, of the great number
of things discussed, no question seemed
SO very interesting. One would think
that such a subject needed no discussion
but when we drive through the country
and see SO many farm houses not only
without beauty, but absolutely without
comfort-and even in defiance of all
beauty, as if a cheerless, miserable condi
ton were actually preferable-it is cleal
that the question was not at all point
less one.
One speaker at that meeting put the
matter in a practical light, in this way:
If, he asked, we are buying apples in the
market, and have two samples before us
both large, both of equally excellent
flavor, both, in fact, precisely the same
in every respect, except that one is of q
green, uninviting tint, and the other red
and rosy-which do we take? Indeed,
there is in every breast a love of beauty,
and in many respects it is all we live for.
We like this world because it is beauti
full; because the flowers bloom, the trees
grow, and the birds sing; because ouI
eyes, ears, and all our senses are pleased
and because it is beauty which lends,
more than any other element, those
charms of life which so delight US; and
whether we are conscious of it or not, il
enters largely in all our calculations as to
what we shall buy and what we will
own.
To make our homes beautiful should be
one of the objects of our lives. The mere
making money is all very well. 1t is, in
deed, one of the virtues. He who is will
in RI vvOrk and 10 ouyin,,o m 10
to save money by his hard labor, may
have vices; but he is seldom SO coarsely
bad as the shiftless spendthrift who,
while ridiculing the saving habits of pa
rents or friends, is yet willing to borrow
from or spend money for them. But too
often these praiseworthy, frugal and saw.
ing habits degenerate into rule of life
and very little happiness or good
in any shape results from the
these savings-a very little time spent
on identifying ones home-but a new
phase on existence; and we really believe
men would live an average of ten years
more than they do if they were to say
once in a while "begone dull care" in the
mere matter of money-making, and de
vote little time each day or so to max
ing a sort of Eden of their home and the
surroundings. But it is not SO much OF
the mere pleasure that we would speak
There is actual money in beauty. As the
speaker above said of a beautiful apple
SO it is of a beautiful farm. As a general
rule, aplace in which taste is exhibited
and everything is kept up in nice style
will bring double that of one in which
misery and ruin rule complete. 1t is
to be noted, however, that these pretty
places are seldom for sale. Those
who cultivate these tasteful habits with
the view of selling their places in conse
quence of improving them, seem to thrive
unconsciously in every other way; and in
time come to the conclusion that they
can afford it, and may as well enjoy life
ia the midst of beautiful surroundings as
to sell out for other people to enjoy.
MIR. Dunlap, the able agricultural cor
respondent of the Chicago Tribune, re
Gently remarked, in speech at Indian
apolis, that in Illinois not many year.
ago it was very easy to find some one who
would sell farm, and it was easy to fine
enough money to buy; but we find few
farms for sale now, because the tastes o
the people are becoming elevated, an(
homes are made more attractive thar
formerly by the addition of such thing
| as make them pleasant. This is precisely
our own experience. A pleasant farm
house always pays. 1t pays us in pleas
ure as we go along; it pays us in goot
habits, which bring us money in many
incidental ways; it pays us in the goot
moral effect aud cheerful cOntentment i
gives to our families; and, if we want t.
sell after all, it will bring in double tina
it would if we had neglected all thes
things. Weekly Press.