The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-12-24
WHOLE NO. 1914.

What would have my home be ? seems to
me to best cover the grouad work OF our sub
ject to-day. Shall 1t be a home that shall te
willing and proud to exhibit to my bes, friends
home OF refinement home where | can
enjoy all my God-given powers TO the best
advantage?
The young man with this ideal, with good
! constitution and fair education, will accom-
plish wonders. He first selects his business,
then his companion, and all with care and
judgment, for he knows that upon his choice Of
companion is centered his happiness OF his
misery. Is his home TO be an intellectual
one, then intelligence must beam from the eye
OF her who is to be its central figure his
social qualities are tested by months and years
of closest aud happiest acquaintance, aad tn en-
where bound by those ties OF affection which
naught but death can sever, they find in each
other all they could hope to attain and COM
mence life as men and women should educat-
ed, cultivated, refined, each striving to excel IN
all that is excellent aud with care, day by day
building up this home, thinking, planning, and
even dreaming upon this ideal. Have they
children, God-given responsibilities, how quick
ly those little ones catch this inspiration and
IN harmony keep step with the parents in
building up home. Do these parents labor
TO accumulate wealth for their children, with
out giving them an opportunity to know It's
value? No. They require their personal ac-
tlylty in all that pertains 10 the duties OF every
day life. They are taught the nobility OF labor,
the inestimable value OF time, that it is given
fOr a tbat ;-
which is earned. The history of the good and
great is placed within their reach, and as they
study the life and character of such, they find
plenty to talk about, thus giving their social
powers full scope. Fathers and mothers'
opinions are needed every hour, and how glad
they now are that they are capable OF impart-
ing the necessary instruction. They Gnd that
1t is much better to interest these children.
than to have them out of their sight, and they
furnish music, books and papers, and all that
can possibly attract and interest them. And
now what do We findP A home OF intelligent
interesting young people, who are being we'll
prepared for fall the duties OF life. They are
the life OF the home, the pride OF the parents
and blessing to the world. They are now
prepared to leave the parental roof and go
forth to combat with the world, for they have
principles well-grounded. From such homes
as this have sprung our best and greatest men
and women. Men who have honored tie high
est positions and Offices in our nation, have in
early life labored upon the farm and from il
have learned lessons which have fitted them
to sit with Kings and Princes. believe that
it is lack Of education that makes so many
dull fresides that too much money ia spent
for whisky and tobacco and too little for books
and papers; that there is too much strife to
be rich regardless Of tie cost that we are too
much hurried to enjoy life as we might that
we as farmers undertake too much work and
enjoy social life too little, that we set our
stakes too far ahead, that we live too much in
the by and by, that the most OF us have enough
to make US happy as though we had millions;
that as the most OF US have built up good
comfortable homes we should strive to enjoy
them and not add farm to farm and bond TO
bond, regardless OF the intellectual and social
interests OF our families, that we should beau
tfy our homes and with our friends enjoy
them and set apart portion OF each day for
intellectual culture and portion OF each year
in getting beyond the limits Of our farms and
thus add to our many pleasures, that OF travel
ing. We may not as farmers become very
wealthy, yet we may be just as happy, and
though we may not become as noted az VIII
lisms, of the Blue Jeans, we may be more
intelligent than he, and enjoy the sweetest
fruits Of our own planting, and when age
comes creeping on, we can SIT by our own
hearth stones and with well stored mind in
peace and plenty, spend the evening Of our
DAYS happily, and il we add to our own legacy
the Christians Hope, we shall in heaven i'm
prove upon the excellence here attained, and
be prepared for an entrance to that home
which is eternal and whose builder is God,