The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-01-03
HOME INTERESTS.
The Old Home.


i see the light CLEAN from the family room;
NY heart for this house deep reverence hath.
And ghosts of dead joys greet me here in the
gloom.
Old home where my youth gazed so fondly In eyes
That trustingly answered my look, while the tune
Loves orpheus played, whose sweet melody dies
A. die the feet hours of the beautiful June.
How wildly memory ever recalls
The laugh and the song, the good cheer and the
mirth.
Now voices of strangers heard in thy halls;
New faces are smiling around thy dear hearth.
EAST PAW PAW H. Dir. La NOBLE.
Aunt Lucy's Chat with the Children.
Coleridge says:
All seasons shall be sweet to thee.
And am sure we find it So The last of the
four seasons has come, and we are ready TO
give il a cordial welcome. am like the chill
dren; L love the snow, and the beautiful plct-
ures that our winter artist, Jack Frost, paints
upon our windows / admire; and oh, how pretty
are tho varied pendants that hang from the
caves, and how fairy-like il the frosted network
upon bush and tree!
/ love to watch the snow-fakes as they gently
descend, covering our once beautiful, green,
velvety lawns with its pure white sheet of
beauty, thus protecting natures carpet that 1t
may be more green in the coming spring time.
Marbles, kites, fishing, swimming, balls and
croquet have had their day, and winter has pa
tiently waited, but il comes now in earnest, and
1t SHOWS, cries the school-boy;
And the echo sounds affair." With mittened
hands and warm wraps, the sleds are brought
from their long resting places Is it wet
snow-to vanish as soon as 1t touches the
ground? Not at all Everything is ready; and
the little folks watch the clouds, and implore
the old woman f" to pick her geese faster; and,
as the little drops of water make the mighty
ocean, 50 the little dainty flakes make the great
bed of snow. And just now old Santa" is
squirting around examining the sleds, the nit
tens, the overcoats and the muffers and knows
what he is about His sleigh is ready, his
horses harnessed; and every gift will soon be
packed, ready for the rightful owner.
When you read this, little children, he will
have made his LONG anticipated visit and van
ished Old Father Time will be rolling up the
very last pages of this year and laying them
carefully and tenderly with the past One
more volume added to his great eventful Ii
brary
Fern Leaf suggests that we make new resolu-
tons and keep them. presume we all let the
old year die out, carrying with it many regrets
of what might have been," and always enter
upon each new year with q determination to
"turn over a new leaf" We must bear in
mind that 1t is not all of life to live, nor all of
death to die" and the years roll on and on.
Now / have suggestion for the boys and
girls that are old enough to write. Commence
with the new year daily journal-if you
only write few lines each day. it will form
quite book in these 365 days; then, if you
compare the last pages with the first, you can
notice the improvement
You can get little blank book for 5 cents,
fill it, and lay it carefully away; take another
and another till the year is ended and you will
have an original book, all your own
Always be able each morning to say = arose
early"-that is q very important note-you can
give the state of the weather, and, if you
should happen to see the sun rise, don't forget
to record it. If you have pretty thought dot
it down-note the many times you are able to
relieve mother, by watching and anticipating
her wants. There are many little events oc-
curing every day that are worthy of record,
and IN after years you will prize your little
book and find it amusing, interesting and use
full for reference.
Although my letters are intended especially
for the children, perhaps hint to young
mothers will not come amies Keep a little
register book, and note down the cute, quaint
sayings of your little ones. We often hear of
I" old heads on young shoulders" and scarcely
can credit some of the things we see in print as
original with the youngsters; but know that
the little folks are sharp, and, al look over
my journal of long ago." l am amused and
deeply interested, and glad that l kept a
journal.
Trusting you have all had a very merry and
satisfactory Christmas, l wish you all, both
old and young and especially the dear chill
dren a very happy new year, hoping it may be
perfect to the close. AUNT LUCY.
~. n