The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-08-06
Tho sunny side OF Homo.

Col.. Mcclure said: "Talso the sunny side
Of home. Tho home Is the sunniost sldo
pf every great people. Without devotion
to home there can DO no devotion to country.
The homo Is the cradle Of patriotism it is
lhe fountain Of happiness not only to lndi-
yiduals, but to nations ns vol, and IL is
The one spot of earth that should be guarded
from needless shadows Enough must
come TO each, even when most faithfully
guarded by all the multiplied offices OF
love; but few there arc who make their
homes what they could or should be. 1t
is only few years since visited nslrangc
people In the fastncss Of tho Rocky Noun
tains. They were then separated from
civilization by thousand miles OF track
less plains and passes where the savage
ruled. Towering cliffs walled them IN
from the outside world, but tho lovely val
ley Of Salt Lake bl0omcd with beauty and
plenty. They cherished religion that
dcsccratcd the sancllty Of tho home; but
whllc hearts c0rrodcd or sobbcd within,
tho humblcst home was gladdcncd with
Tic richest of natures offerings. The little
adob cottage was ever dcckcd with green
vines and fragrant flowers. Neglect or di-
lapidat'ol were forbidden by the religion
rounded on lust and greed, and even when
II home, u was crowned with every at
traction the country afforded, Urccn
shades, rich in blossoms In spring time and
mellow with fruits III autumn, made every
Mormon home appear as IN oasis In the
desert. ] wished, indeed, That our boastcd
Christian civilization could learn from the
doudcd men and hnplcss women Of Nor
mondom, the lesson of bcautliying home.
Our religion makes tho home one of ITS
grandcst affairs but how sadly We dcform
what IS to many, and should be to MI, tho
lovclcst spot Of earth Home and beauty
should be inscpnrabIy linked together in
The life Of the humbust man and woman.
1t needs no wealth Of gold or dclicacy Of
art to make home inviting and lovely. The
God Of nature IL architect for the poor, and
horny hands can plant the tree and shrub
In the hour Of grateful lcst; and the child,
ach00lcu to The refining love of The btn,lti-
t,ll, cnn train the simple flower to deck the
little window in elegance that Solomon III
nl hia glory could not create. The hits
toll not, neither do they spin; but they
humble tho pride of tho arrogant and pre-
tending, by making malChlcss beauty the
common heritage Of nll. Look around you
| / our great Commonwealth. and you will
bc amazed to learn how large II proportion
of our homes nro pninful monuments OF
neglect. Many Of these with rich farms
around them, arc less inviting than the
barn where the OK ~ fnttcncu or tho crib
where the harvest IL stored. The horse,
The COW, and the pig must be lhouphllully
sheltered, for they rcpny care with gold;
but the wife and the child nrc only beasts
ol burden; and tho cool shades OF summer,
The sunshine OF winter, the sweet odor of
the pretty flower, the health giving relish
of tho luscious fruits and the refinement
ihni makes woman noblcr and man better,
arc rejected by the Ignorance, Incidence,
or greed which cllacc the line between man
and brute. Such Il home wages perpetual
warfare against every inspiration lhut
would elevate men, women and children
above the anmnls nrouud them, and al the
charms Of the fnmily circle are diSs,patcu
by the gruvcling plotldcr who weighs the
joys of life in the scales of Enin. Look at
the rcpulsivc homo; what II blot Upon hl-
Mnnly; what Il muCkcry of God There
are worn and frowninE mothers, there are
smilelcss children; there are hopeless
slaves all taking the shortest and lhnrnirst
path 10 whit they mCst drrnd-hc grave;
ard when they 80 hence they are lnmrntrd
in their home nniniy or only ns they d.
mlnish the commercial value OF the house
hold. The homo that iS Il shrine of the
heart, may hc the lowlicst Of the luwy,
but 1t Is beautiful in nll is attributes, and
tcmpcrS the wcarincss of honest toll by its
countless blessings, which all the wealth
Of an AStor or II Vanderbilt could not buy.
Would yuu know how to distinguish il
from the many which bear the Scmblancc
bmt have not The sllhslauccH Watch the
rattcr;nr feet of children ns they roam
abou, in search OF happiness; see where
'hcy pause 10 pour ont their arllcss tribute
In merry laugh and honest gratitude.
They point TO the sunny home rs the needle
points to the pole, amt where they are I'M
%nOwn nv welcome guests, there IN no
home. The home that has been made the
sunny side Of f., never loses its hcnrlicrnt
influence over those il has sheltered in
childhood, however they may be .ioSllrd by
tho rude viciSsitudcs of life. One of the
most memorable "reminiscences of California
Il told Of the first great queen OF song who
appeared in San Francisco, among the rest
loss men gathered there thirty years ago
They had learned not to vniuc life; they
lad nccomc n law unto themselves that
dclicd all the teachings OF their youth
but when "llomr, Sweet llomc' was
sung, tears sCaldcd the bronzcd faces, and
$obs wclcd up from hearts winch had left
sentiment behind them, for adventure
Take the sunny side OF the home. 1t will
bc well spring of joy from the Cradlo to
the tomb"