Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-06-16
Around the Hearth.

Our own hearthstone,- soundeth
most comfortable, social, homelike. There
is glow in the sound of the words, a CHEEKY
noise of cracking flame, and the low rush
of the host of the shadowy, olden-time asso-
Citations. The term is thickly clustering
with more than thousand beautiful and
holy memories. Warm, genial and undying,
they bloom far down in the heart of hearts,
where they are garnered, safe forever from
the waste of years. The hearthstone is or
ought to be consecrated spot. The harness
of life's battle is here thrown off. The holier
and higher affections here gush out, and the
better man acts himself. 1t is place to
talk over and live over the past; to weep
over its great sorrows, and to smile over its
Joys. Hearts here beat closely against hearts,
and throb without fear of the worlds curl
Gus and prying gaze. There are no vulture
beaks to tear the wounds which some strife
may have left. No carrion birds to fasten
upon some frail word or deed, and go out to
the world exultingly. Our dear Heavenly
Father We thank thee for an Eden where
no serpent has entered. A high and holy
barrier it stands, beating back the cruel
calumnies and taunts of the outer world,
and guarding from the poisoned barb the
loves within. To this threshold the sleuth-
hounds of society come, and no further.
They must howl without, while those within
love on with their undying love- Our own
hearthstone There is mellow light there
in the afternoon of life. One dark shadow
is there which fell from the wing of the
death angel, and still fingers, like cloud
full of sorrowing tears but there is bow
of promise above the storm which swept the
idol from our grasp, and the stricken hearts,
still, as thoughts Of that bitter hour come
back, creep nearer the Christening hand, and
kiss the rod which destroyed. But there
are angels left The gushing laughter of
childhood rings out, while the older ones
subduedly talk of the little link first broken.
Spring, midsummer, and hoary winter here
gather. We can place one hand on the
sunny locks of childhood, and the other upon
the bleached locks of old age. And how
closely and how securely we cling TO them
both Here by our own hearthstone we
shall sit, and act, and talk as we please. We
shall invite nobody here whom we do not
like, and in all things shall make ourselves
at home-as we are. The reader can drop
in, if he comes not to feast upon scandal, and
between us we can find much TO chat about
of our own and the busy worlds doings and
sayings. To cultivate and TO make hearth
stone cheerful, it requires more skill, pa
tience and perseverance than many of us
really possess By skill we mean to be able
at all times and under all circumstances to
make the hearthstone jovial and happy.
Often we meet with trials and vexations in
our daily walks through life, and on our re-
turn to the bearthstone, after having en-
dured the fatigue and disappointments of
our respective vocations, it requires all the
ingenuity we are capable of exercising to
enable us to appear in contented frame of
mind, so that those about us will not feel
that in place of bringing pleasure we cast a
shadow over the household. BE patient at
all times with those around us, never in
dulging in unpleasant feelings, even if every
thing does not move along as smoothly as
we would desire. How many hearthstones
are rendered unhappy, when little patience
would work wonders, if we may so speak
Persevere in all things; surmount every
difficulty that appears to impede our pro-
gress and when those trying obstacles are
passed away, we can look backward to them
as SO many stepping stones which led us in
| the path of social duty.