Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-06-16

/ MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME.-There is
no invitation so common, and none so
seldom accepted, as this free-and-easy
tender of ones home to u guest. From
the way in which many people conduct
! themselves in their own homes what with
their peevishness, tardincss, slovenliness,
suriness and the other dreadful neSSeS-
we shouldn't care to have the invitation
taken very literally by them in any home
| in which we have part or lot; but is it not
practicable and would il not be pleasant
all around. to have agreeable people feel
more "at home" than they often do in
their friends home?
| All visitors feel that in some places there
is an atmosphere that is congenial and
pleasant, and conducive to freedom and
enjoyment, while in others-though the
welcome be Just rs warm and the friends
no less kind and dear they are never
unconscious that they are visitors. The
house is in an abnormal condition of spick-
and-span orderliness, to start with; and
one feels that in no home are the papers
and books always picked up, the work pun
out of sight and everything kept with its
best foot forward. In most sensible, not
to say cultivated, families, the essential
vulgarity of loading down the tables with
an unusual and unnecessary variety of
food, because friend chances to be pres
ent, is no longer seen; but in too many the
entire matter of the family eating is made
to turn upon the guests appetite or readi-
ness. How entirely "at home" one feels
{" this is writ ironical,' AS A. Ward used
to say) to come down to breakfast u quar-
ter of an hour late and find pater familtas
reading the advertisements in his crumpled
morning paper, with one eye wandering
to the clock; the housewife with the shad-
ow of frown upon her politely unpuck-
cred brow, and the children pal lpably cross
from waitingi The guest shouldn't be
late, of course, but he often takes that
liberty when at home and would feel much
better to find the family at the table than
waiting for him. The consciousness of
throwing everything out of gear in the
family machinery makes one realize very
uncomfortably that he is not cat home"
Then the children are often kept on
dress parade" during the presence Of
transient guests. 1t causes pain to child
loving and sensitive man to know that the
children are debarred of their natural
blessed freedom by his presence. His own
| little ones at home climb to his back or
knee, tease for stories, play games, and
have a good time after supper; and while
the average parent doesn't take so much
interest in othes peoples children, no one
not so utterly selfish that his comfort does
not deserve to be considered, likes to see
children robbed of any of their little rights
and customs by Il stupid conventionalty,
requiring them to be dressed up and keep
still.
ltmay further be truly said of hospital
ity, that as a rule, entertaining" does
not entertain. Public men are not the
only people who like plenty of letting
alone. The friend into whose home our
coming means only an extra plate and Il
chair at the table,an room at the iireside;
whose easy chair is ours for reading, rest
ing Or chatting; whose home circle is en-
larged, not broken up, by our entrance;
whose greeting shows that he is conscious
of receiving as well as imparting pleasure;
who preserves his own individuality and
recognizes ours; over whose roof-tree
waves the flag Of freedom-isn't this the
place we all love to go?-Golden Rule.