The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1874-12-05
Home and Happiness.

There can be no doubt that the truest happi- |
ness is ever to be found at home. No man
without home can be long and truly happy.
But the domestic group can be productive OF
happiness only when it is assimulated by atfec-
ton, and kept in union by discreet friend
ship. Then it tends to produce as much hap
piness az this world is capable of; and its
sweet repose is sought for by all sensible
men, as ever by the wisest and the great
est. What can be compared in our inter-
course of life with the attentions on our taml-
ly, with their exhilerating smiles and undis-
sembled love? All this raises the gent!est and
most pleasing emotions, and calls forth all the
sentiments of uncontrolled nature. What are
the raptures of ambition, the pleasures OF fame,
the delights of honor, in comparison with this
Utterly worthless and insipid. Hence tits that
We see sensators and heroes shutting out the ac-
,;amatons of an applauding world to partake
the endearments of family conversation, and
to enjoy the prattling Of their children in their
harmless pleasures. This is one Of the purest
sources of mrth. IL has influence, too, in
amending the heart; for innocence is commu-
nicated by coming in contact with it; and the
sweet i'm piicicy of children tends to purify the
heart from the pollution that it has acquired
from moving in the world and mixing with
men. Into what an abyss of moral degrade
tion should we not ne snnlen were it not for
women and children. Well might the Great
Author of evangelical philosophy have been
delighted with the presence Of children and
found in them-what he in vain sought among
those who judged themselves their superiors-
goodness and virtue Cicero, with all his liber-
ality of mind, felt the tenderness of home at
tachment. At one time he acknowledged that
he received no satisfaction in any company but
in that of bis wife, his little daughter, and-to
use his own langu3 gc--"hs honied young Cice-
ro." Sir Thomas NJ .o.r, With his great powers
of mind, devoted a great share of his time
because he knew it To be his Gaiy and felt ii 10
be his delight-to the amusement of his chill
dren. Homer, in his Iliad, in the parting in
terview between Hector and Andromache, has
interested the heart of the reader in his terri
BILE hero by showing the amiability of his Tro-
jan chief, by depicting him, while standing
completely armed for the battle field, taxing off
his helmet that he might not frighten his little
boy with its nodding plumes. How refreshed
are we by this scene of domestic love! And
how pleased to see the arm which is shortly to
deal death and destruction among host of foes
employed in caressing an infant son with the
em braces of paternai love.
WcNDERFUL INvENroR.-The New York
Sun gives biography of an inventor who has
done more for the world than the world has for
him. After making hall dozen scientific i'm
provements in mechanics, any one of which
would have made another mans fortune, he has
gradually fallen to the position of tender of
stage DOR in New York thcatre. His name
is Freligh. When twenty years old he invent
ed diving dress, for which he got $500 about
the only reward he ever obtained. He served
his apprenticeship at the Novelty Iron Works,
and afterward obtained a position as engineer
of the Jersey City Ferry Company at $500
year. For inventing therevolving crate for fer
ry-boats, the superintendent gave him pair of
patent leather boots for inventing an appa
ratus to heat water by waste steam and save 10
per cent. in fuel, he received double barrel
shotgun; when he built model for Span
lard who wanted boat of light draught and
immense carrying capacity to navigate the
shadows of the Amazon, and was about to sign
contract to construct fotilla of such vessels,
the Spaniard was murdered in cigar store
when, four years later, he invented "combi-
nation gauge" to indicate the action of the
force pump, the temperature of the water in
the "hot- well" and the density of that in the
boiler, Scotch man stole his discovery and pat
ented it in his own name when he compound
ed lubricator for locomotives, the General
Supply Agent of the Erie railroad refused to
accept it unless he was paid bonus of $4,000.
And, lastly, after day had been appointed by
Jas. Fisk, jr in which Freligh was to receive
$50 900 in stock and money for the secret of the
compound, Stokes interfered and murdered the
only man who had even promised him fair
treatment. To such man the fates have done
their worst. After such series of disappoint-
ments, no wonder that the poor man takes his
stand at the door of theatre, satisfied that the
shams of the stage are more substantial than
the gratitude and honesty of the world
LIMIT Your WANTs.-Lord Bolingbroke, in his
Reflections upon Exile" says: "Our natural
aud real wants are confined to narrow bounds,
while those which fancy and custom create are
confined to none" Young men who are just
entering upon life, and forming tho habits
which are likely to adhere to them to its close,
will do we'll to treasure up in memory these
true and instructive words of one of Eugland's
finest writers and most philosophic statesmen
"Our natural and real wants are confined to
narrow bounds" 1t is surprising how little it
is that absolutely essential to mans existence,
and, if he will take an intelligent and consid-
crate view of life, to his comfort and happiness.
Intellectual enjoymcnts are comparatively
cheap The cultivation of the mind, which al
fords the highest and the only enduring salts
faction, can be pursued on an income quite In
significant for the supply of luxuries. Our
physical wants are very few, if we preserve our
tastes simple, as they are by nature. To eat,
to drink, to exercise, to sleep, to keep warm,
and to be sheltered: small sum will supply
all these necessities. The pleasures which are
pure, and which tend to our improvement are
within the reach OF almost every one. But the
wants which fancy and custom create, as Lord
Bolngbroke well says, are confined to no
bounds 1t is against these that young men on
the threshold of life should sedulously guard
Beware OF luxurious and expensive habits
The qualification of them may cost you much
of the labor and time which, if given to intel
leetual cultivation, would be far more condu
Give to happiness. 1t is easy to do without
that which you have never INDUCED in. 1t is
hard to leave off habits, however extravagant
and absurd. When you are to decide about
adopting mode or style of living consider we'll
whether it is certain that without lnconvenl-
ence, you will be able always to preserve it
The only safe rule is, to keep your wants with
in narrow bounds.
LIFE.-Live for something! Yes, and for
something worthy of life and its capabilities
and opportunities for noble deeds and achieve