Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-05-02
Beautiiy Your Homes.

A stranger visiting this State is first
and most of all attracted by its almost
unequalled climate. No matter what
other advantages country may pos
sess, it is never thoroughly enjoyable
in tickle and capricious climate.
With the mercury alternating between
zero and 900, and thunder showers,
and snow squalls, following each 9TH
er in close proximity, make a resi-
dence in the most picturesqe location
rather lively to say the least, although
it may be conducive to energy, but
this regoin has not any climatic ad-
vantages, but great natural beauty of
landscape. From mountain to ocean
il is feast to that inward perception
of beauty that the dullest possesses in
a greater or less legree. And if one is
looking for place to locate home,
he finds third element not to be de-
spised in his selection. That is, IA
cilities for the education of his chill
dren. With all these combined, he
naturally exclaims, "what more can
ask than for home, genuine home,
in this favored region.o And as nat
uralIy, as fOurthly in sermon, looks
about at the homes already here. This
step leads from "the sublime to the ri
diculous," and he very naturally
thinks his conclusions have been
hasty and i'll advised. With the ex-
ception of town and city residences,
he finds the inhabitants living in
style indicative of eXtreem poverty,
no signs of taste or thrift are mani
fest. The house, usually with nothing
to distinguish it from barn, stands
little back of and between the hen
house and corn crib, bare and insight
ly, not tree or shrub or even morn
ing glory vine to cover the ugliness of
the walls. And here the owner rears
his pigs, his chickens and his children,
all with the same surroundings, and
but for the influence of the public
schools, we should expect with the
same result. He is not a Temporary
but permanent" as Susan Nipper
puts it, and will tell you with some
pride, ''he has been in nearly all the
Southern and Western States, but
found no locality equal to this, has
been here six years and he expects to
live and die here.n OF course there
are some very agreeable exceptions to
this style of living, but they are not
the rule, and nothing is more refresh
ing in drive about the country, than
to come upon a neat tastefully built
house, surrounded with trees and
Towering plants and seeming to be a
home. In late number of the HER
AID you say "beautiful homes make
beautiful city," Beautiful homes also
make beautiful country, and one dis
trusts the most inviting country if the
prevailing character of the homes is
masked by slovenliness and unthrift.
While on the other hand very indif-
ferent sort of place may be rendered
pleasing and attractive by the display
of little skill and taste in the build
ings and their surroundings. The
question that arises in every Amer
lean mind, is on any subject-does
it pay? Certainly it pays. 1t paysin
dollars and cents, though l believe
California does not realize that coin,
not, perhaps, Immediately, as well as
barley or grazing, but in the end, in
the increased value of real estate,
every little adornment of home adds
to its material value more than costs.
1t pay. in t!ic pleasure it gives at the
time and ever after, and also in the in
creased respect Of yourself and of the
community for you. And above all
it pays in the refining, civilizing in
fluence upon every inmate of the fam
lily. Every tree that your children as
sist in planting, and every vine they
train, has a direct influence. 1t not
only increases their love for home,
but for country, and are important ell
ements in every childs education is
neglected, that can never be supplied
by any amount of school training, if
they have not the refining influence OF
an attractive and well ordered home.
So we say plant trees, train vines
over the windows and have flowers in
every available space. Do not be dis
couraged at a few failures. Here lit
tie and there little, and soon you
will have home, you G an show with
some pride. The humblest and mean
est can be made better by little time
well spent in this way. DO not let us
have to say, as we so often hear, sit is
well enough for California" Let it be
well enough for any country. Califor-
MIA should have the most beautiful
homes in the Union, and it lies in the
power of each land owner that she
does.
PHILLIs.