The Iola register., 1875-07-03
A True Home.
BY REV. E. P. POWELL.

In my visiting l have found home
It is not mere house with a family in
it, but genuine, true, charming, idea
home. 1t is not in the country among
the hills, nor is it in one of the favored
streets ofluxury in the city. 1t is with
in stones throw of considerable desti.
tuition, and it has an outlook that
wish could be bettered. The first thing
you will see in the little front room is a
bunch of dried fern leaves, elegantly
grouped with few moses, and fastened
on the wall then bunch of lichens and
agroup of leaves. These are exquisite
displaying the art of nature in arrange
ment. They take the place of chromos
or more costly painting. "Oh" You
know what to expect in the mother Of
this household; and you will not be dis
appointed. She is not an artist nor a
scholar, does not understand botany or
drawing; she has not advantages which
are unusual. She has simply used we'll
what she had. J found that she not
only knew how to arrange her house, but
how to keep home. Her children were
growths of this home. They grew up out
of their ideas-tkrift, taste. love, order.
She had an idea that home was not worth
building apart from the family. Its OBJ
ject was to be applied every way TO the
rearing OF young souls. So in all her
apartments she had studied an adjust
ment between things and spirits. This
was where her babes were to get their
first impression and conceptions, where
they were to be moulded and cultured,
and made wise and strong for society.
But why do l talk of the mother? The
father was the head of the family, and
he kept his place. He was firm but un-
swerving, and the idea responsibility
ran through all he said or did. Throw
ing open the door of a little nook filled
with books and maps and globes, he
said
"This is our wardrobe; walk i'm
"But do not see a garment here" !
said.
"No; but still here are several coats
and dresses and bonnets; and here"
pointing to a cyclopadia, ''is pile of
furs. You see, we thought, like others,
that we could not afford books. But we
found that we ate up valuable volume
at each meal; that coat would buy
from twenty to forty volumes; and that
by little saving we could indulge here.
So, We don't have quite so large ward
robe for our bodies, but much larger
one for our minds"
One evening each week this family
gives regularly to such of the noighbor-
ing children as care to call. The father
and mother, with gentle refinement and
prayerful love, make the evening bright
and joyous. 1t is training school in
WHICH the SCuO!.ifS 10 llOt see tuaG lUcN
ire under discipline. Occasionally some
ruit or retreshment is served; always
here is talk about manhood and honor
md good faith; and talk about God is
brought in as naturally and easily as
bout books. The children get accus-
omed to coming with their cares, temp
ations. dangers and sins to these parents
nd SO they are led and moulded into a
Iigher life.
| cannot tell you half of what l saw
n this house. Tie charm was, it was
II so easily done. There were no mar
els, no wonders; nothing that depend
d on vast wealth or education, or pecu-
Jar gifts. Any one could do the same.
was the result of a determination to
i've usefuliy, wisely, ard godly-to make
home that was essentially beautiful
nd adapted to the best results.