Smyrna times., 1873-10-08
Housekeeping Versus Housekeeping.

The truest homes are often in houses not es-
pecially well kept, where the comfort and hap
plEeSs OF the inmates, rather than the preSer-
vatlon OF the furniture, is first consulted. The
object OF home is to be the center, the point
of tenderest interest, the pivot on which family
life turns. The first requisite is to make it
attractive, so attractive that none of its inmates
shall care to linger long outside its limits. All
legitimate means should be employed to this
end, and no effort spared that can contrii ute
to the purpose. Many houses called homes,
kept with waxy neatness by painstaking, anx-
lous women, are so oppressive in their nicely
as to exclude all hOme-teeling from their spot
less precincts. The very name of home is sy-
nonymous with personal freedom and relax
alton from care. But neither of these can be
felt where such mania for external cleanliness
prevades the household as to render everything
else subServient thereto. Many housewives
II they see speck on floor or wall or even
scrap of thread or bit of paper on the floor,
rush at 1t, as if it were the seed of pestience
which must be removed on the instant. Their
temper depends upon their maintenance of per-
feet purity and order. If there be any failure
on their part, or any combination of circum-
stances against them, they fall into a pathetic
despair, and can hardly be lifted out. They
do not see that cheerfulness is more needful to
home than all the spOtlessness that ever shone
lhelr disposition to wage war upon maculate-
ness OF any sort increases until they become
slaves of the broom and dust. pan Neatness
Is one thing, and a state of perpetual house.
cleaning quite another.
Out of this grows by degrees the feeling that
certain things and apartments are too good fol
daily use. Hence, chairs and sofas are Gov
cred, and rooms shut up, save for special occa.
slons, when they are permitted to reveal THEN
violated sacredness in manner that mars every
pretenSe OF hospitality. Nothing should be
bouglt which is considered too fine for the full
est domestic appropriation. Far better is the
plalnest furniture, on which the children can
climb, than satin and damask which must bC
viewed with reverence. Where anything il
reserved or secluded, to disguise the fact is ex
tremely difficult. a chilly air wraps it arounC
and the repulslon of strangeness is experinceC
by the most insensibe.
There are few persons who have not visite(
houses where they have been introduced t,
what is known as the company parlor. The.
must remember how uncomfortable they wer
while sitting in it; how they found it almos
impossible to be at ease, and mainly for tn
reason that their host and hostess were no
themselves at ease. The children were watche,
with lynx eyes, lest they should dispace or sol
something: so that the entertainment of friend
became very much like a social discipline
They must recall, too, how sweet the fresh ai
seemed out.of-doors, and how they inward
vowed, in leaving that temple of form an
idgetiness that something more than polite
ness would be required to incite them to return
Home is not name, nor form, nor rou
tine. 1t is spirit, presence, principle
Material and method will not, and cannot max
it. 1t must get its light and sweetness fror
those who inhabit it, from flowers and sunshine
from the sympathetic natures which, in thei
of the broom and the awful duty of endles
scrubbing. g.-ScriJner for October.