Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1873-03-15
The Value of Beauty.

At recent agricultural moctlhS
in Pennsylvania it was discussed
whether it was worth while, from a
monetary point of Wow, to orna-
ment farm grounds. 1t is remark
able that, of tho great number of
things discussed, no question seem
cd so very interesting. One would
think that such q subject needed no
discussion but whom We drive thro
the country and sec so many farm
houses not only without beauty, |
but absolutely without comfort
and oven in defiance of all beauty,
as if chccrlcss, miserable condi-
tion were actually preferable-it is
clear that the question was not at
all u pointless one.
One speaker at that meeting put
the matter in a practical light in
this way: If, he asked, VIC are
buying apples in the market, and
haze 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 a green, uninviting tint,
and the olher red and rosy-whlch
do wo take? Indeed there is in
every breasta love of beauty, and
in many respects it is all we live
for. We like this world because 1t
is beautiful; because the flowers
bloom, the trees grow, and the
birds sing because our 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 arc conscious of
it or not, it enters largely in all our
calculations rs to what wc shall buy
and what we will own.
TO mako our homes beautiful
should be one of the objects of our
lives. The mere making money is
all very well. 1t is indeed one OF
the virtues. Ho who is willing to
work, and is anxious to make and
save money by his hard labor, may
have vices but he is seldom so
coarsely bad as the shittless spend
thrift who, while ridiculing tho saw
ing habits of parents or friends, is
yet willing to borrow from or spend
money for them. But too often
these praisoworthy, frugal, and
saving habits degenerate into arule
in life, and very little happiness OF
good results from the money made.
A very little of these savings-a
very little time spent in beavtify-
ing ono's home-put a new phase
on existence; and we really believe
men would live an average OF ten
years moro than they do If they
were to say once in while, " be-
gone, dull care" in the mere mat
ter of money making, and devote n
little time each day or so to max
ing sort of Eden of their home and
the surroundings. But it is not 80
much of the mere pleasure that we
would speak. There is actually
money in beauty. AS the speaker
u bovo said of a beautiful apple, so
it is of beautiful farm, AS agen-
cral rule, place in which taste is
exhibited, and everything is kept
up in nice style, will bring double
that in which misery and ruin rules
complete. 1t is to be noted, how
ever, that these pretty places are
seldom for sale. Those who culti-
vate those tasteful habits with the
view of selling their places in con-
sequence of improving them, seem
to thrive unconsciously in every
other way; and in that time come
to the conclusion that they can at
ford it, and may as we'll enjoy life
in the midst OF beautiful surround
ings as to sell out for other people
to enjoy.
Mr.. Dunlap, the able agricultural
correspondent of the Chicago Tri-
bune, recently remarked in q speech
at indianapolis, that in Illinois not
many years ago twas very easy
TO find some one who would sell a
farm, and it was easy TO find money
enough to buy but we find few
farms for sale now, because the
tastes of the people are becoming
cultivated, and homes are made
moro attractive than formerly by
the addition of such things as
make them pleasant. This is pre-
ciscly our own experience. A pleas
ant farm house always pays. 1t
pays us in pleasure as we go along;
| it pays us in good habits, which
bring us money in many incidental
ways; pays us in the good moral
effect and cheerful contcntment il
gives to our families and, if we
want to sell after all, it will bring
in double what it would if VIC had
neglected all these things.
Henry Ward Beecher says, "thst poor
nan with plenty Of check will got along
beffer than modest man with ~, 600.