Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1874-01-29
Housekeeping VS.. Housekeeping.

The truest homes are often in houses
especially well kept where the com
fort and happiness of the inmates,
rather than the preservation 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 tc linger long outside its limits.
All legitimate means should be en-
ployed to this end. and no effort spar
ed that can contribute to the purpose.
Many houses called homes, kept with
waxy neatness by painstaking, anxious
women, are 50 oppressive in their
nicely, as to exclude all home. feeling
from their spotless precincts. The
very name of home is synonymous
with personal freedom and relaxation
from care. But neither of these can
be felt where such a mania for extern
al cleanliness pervadcs as to render
everything else subservient thcreto.-
Many housewives, if they see a speck
on floor or wall, or even a scrap of
thread or bit of paper on the floor.
rush at it. as if it were the seed OF
pestilence which must be removed on
the instant Their temper depends
on their maintenance of perfect purity
and order. Iftherc be any failure on
their part, or any combination of cir
cumstances agaist them, they fall into
pathetic despair, and can hardly be
lifted out. They do not see that
cheerlulness is more needful to Il home
than all the spotlessness that ever
shone. Their disposition to wage war
upon maculateness of any sort III
creases until they become slaves of the
broom and dust-pan, Neatness is one
thing, and state of perpetual house,
cleaning quite another.
Out of this grows by degrees the
feeling that certain things and apart.
ments are too good for daily USE
Hence chairs and sofas are covered,
and rooms shut up save for special
occasions, when they are permitted to
reveal their violated sacredness in a
manner that mars every pretence Of
hospitality. Nothing should be bought
which is considered too fine for the
fullest domestic appropriation. Far
better is the plainest furniture, on
which the children can climb than
satin and damask which must be view
ed with reverence. When anything is
reserved or secluded, to disguise the
fact is extremely difficult. A chilly
air wraps it round, and the repulsion
of strangeness is experienced by the
most insensible.
There are few persons who have not
visited honses where they have been
introduced to what is known as the
company parlor. They must remem
Der how uncomfortable they were
while sitting in it; how they found
it most impossible to be at ease, and
mainly for the reason that their host
ess was not herself at ease. The
children were watched with lynx eyes,
lest they should displace Or soil some
thing so that the entertainments of
friends became very much like a
SPECIAL discipline. They must recall
too, how sweet the fresh air seemed
out-ofdoors, and how they inwardly,
vowed, in leaving that temple of form
and fidgetiness, that something more
than politeness would be required to
incite them to return.
Home is not name, nor form,
nor a routine. 1t is a spirit, pres.
ence, principle. Material and meth