The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-05-02
THE FARMERS HOM7.


Incongruities of RHral Home Life as Too
Often Exhibited.
There is something decidedly incon-
gruous in house devoid of life and
color, interiorly and exteriorly, set down
in the midst of a lovely landscape,
where earth and sky combine to give
charm to existence. 1t is often mat
ter of wonder that people are content to
pass theiT days in such surroundings,
without regard to architectural beauty
or adaptivenesS to use and circum-
stances. Too often they are regarded
as mere places for staying in over night,
a necessary shelter at meal times and
during bad weather, They are hastily
put together, without any special de-
sign or plan in view other than to enclose
so many rooms to live in and sleep in,
with as little regard for actual comfort,
convenience, tastefulness and harmony
of arrangement as there would be in
building Il stable for the cattle The
idea is to put up house in so much
time for so much money, and for the
rest there will be time to think of it
when the crops are in and har-
vested and marketed and the fine
cattle bought and the new barn built.
1t is not an uncommon thing to hear
some penurious soul say that anything
is good enough for the family Pro-
ceeding on this principle, all the best
things-the finest apples, the freshest
eggs, the choicest butter, the tenderest
meat-are sent away, to market, while
the family must be content with ''nub-
bin" fruit, salt pork, and skim-milk.
In such homes music, books, flowers,
pictures, soft carpets easy-chairs and
innocent recreatiOns are superlluities,
and the ends of existence are satisfied if
the mortgage is paid, so many bushels
of corn and oats put in the granary and
so many tubs of butter in the cellar 1t
is work, work, in doors and out, the
weary year around, with nothing but
rheumatism and chilblains in the win
ter, and occasional sewing bees and do
nations, to relieve the monotony of ex-
istence. Such homes are homes in name
only. They are more like prison walls
for young and ardent spirits who have
tasted the freedom and delights of
larger and truer life. The chill
anu DdlItHIcSS Itpcl IuOSe WHO
have natural cravings for what is
bright and beautiful. They are
left without regret, and remembered
without longing. No fond memories
and pleasant associations cluster around
them to call back the wanderer and the
hayward, and no tender recollections
are awakened at the sight of their bare,
leaden walls. They symbolic, if any
thing, dry, hard, exacting life, narrow,
rcpressive, unlovely-an existence
bounded by breakfasts and dinners, and
twelve hours solid slumber
If people would only come to under
stand THAT the home, in its truest and
best sense, is the real center of our
earthly life, the rallying point of all its
highest and hottest affections, the true
object of its loftiest ambitions, the goal
of its noblest and worthiest aims, they
would cease to give it place inferior
to anything that the world has or can
offer. They would then act, as they
should, upon the principle that nothing
consistent with means and circum-
stances is too good for the home, moth
ing too beautiful for its adornment,
nothing too costly for its use and con-
venience. N. Y. Observer.