St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-12-16
Tke GaIedunian.
KINDLINGS.
BY Helen Hunt Jackson, in Christian Union.

few things about which the average
person is so clearly, Obstinately, in
vincibly sure that his own way is the
best way-in fact, the only way in
which really satisfactory result can
be attained. Into many married life
that is in all other respects as barmO-
NOUS and amicable as the exigencies
of human nature will allow, there en-
tiers a bitter and endless controversy
every autumn, with the setting up of
the fire-irOns. The so-called "dOmes-
tic hearth" becomes a permanent bat
tle-grOund, on which family factions
wage daily warfare, for which is Meth
er truce nor surrender, till merciful
spring extinguishes simultaneously the
flames of both discOrd and fnel, and
the firebOard is erected, temporary
headstOne at the spot where the hatch
ct lies temporarily buried, sure OF
speedy resurrection.
There is one point, however, on
which the cOmbatants have agreed
and that is, the necessity of klndllngs.
He who puts the kindlings at top of
the pile, and she who puts them at the
bottom u think | am right in the dis
elimination of sex here. At any rate,
| have never yet met with a woman
who made fires upside down, and L
have heard men argue by the hour to
prove that only so were they right side
up) each alike demands kindlings as
sine qua non of good fire.
So essential are they to the quick
and successful lighting of fires, so
much does the comfort of ones winter
depend upon generous and never
failing supply of them, that their alb
sence or presence is almost a test of
the quality of housekeeping, an in
dication of the plane and standard
which will be found in many other
matters. There is even a tradition of
n New England funeral at which sOr-
rowing relative was overheard to say
of the departed, bringing in the state
ment at the end of long list of vir-
tues, spiritual and secular: "And he
was a master hand as prOvider. L
don't believe his wife's ever known
what it was to be out of kindlin's Onct
sense they've been to Housekeeping"
This might have been true of the
sort of kindlings which wOOd-piles fur
nish but she was indeed an extraOr-
dinarily happy woman if she were
never once out of the sort of klndllngs
which are needful to start and keep
going those more precious inner fires
on whose light, warmth and cheer de-
ponds the happiness of daily life. "All
out of kindlings,n ''wet kindlings,"
''nOt half enough kindlings"-these are
the words which in many instances
explain the material discomfort of
chilly rooms, poorly cooked food, colds
and illnesses innumberable. The
same phrases are pertinent to the
much greater discomfort of chilly
hearts. poorly nOurished souls, stunted
affections, wearisOme days, sins and
shortcomings innumerable. "All out
of kindlings," "wet kindlings," 'not
half enough kindlings"-nO home is
happy where these words can be met
aphOrically applied.
Almost anything will do for kind
lings, so it is properly split or cut and
dried; old boxes, shavings, dead
boughs, chips; the luxury of "bOught-
en-" kindlings is unknown in many
house where roaring fires and generous
warmth, with all that they count for
and accomplish, are never lacking.
So with the metaphOrical kindlings
which the human heart Graves. AL
most anything will do for them, too.
No one so poor he need be without
them, need deny them to his family,
or is to be excused for forgetting them.
Never penny need be spent for them
from one years end to the other.
Once, at the Armenian convent of
San LazarO, in Venice, | tasted de-
licious cOnfectiOn, made of rose leaves
preserved in sweet and aromatic
strip.
said to the monk who had served
us:
elbow do you make this most deli
ciOus sweet 2"
"Ah, we do not make it ourselves"
he answered sit is made for us every
year by Turkish ladies. 1t comes all
the way from COnstantinOple."
"And what do you send them in re-
turn 2" thoughtlessly said.
The Father shrugged his shoulders
with an easy, worldly laugh.
"WOrds, only Words" he replied.
The disparaging adverb "Only" was
misplaced. Words are never "Only
words" They are signs, symbols, to-
kens, of all that Il heart can crave or
fear; of the dearest joy and of the
deadliest hurt. They can enable us to
renew our strength as the eagles.
They can Stay us by the torture of a
"wOunded spirit" of which even
Christ says, "WhO can bear it 2"
Fifty spoken, lovingly spoken, sym
pathizingly spoken, they are the best
of "kindlings." The fire they light of
a morning does not need making over
again the whole day long. In fact, it
"keeps Goals" over night; a good,
warm, glowing bed all ready next
morning. Who does not know the
comfort of opening the ashes on the
hearth, of winter morning, and find
ing a bed of red Goals to begin the
days work with! That is the way
kind, loving word lasts. The pressure
of duties and hurry of things may
seem to have Obliterated it, as the
ashes cover the hot Goals, but it is
there, all the same, and its warmth is
there, and neither the room nor the
heart can be quite at the mercy of the
cold or of trouble and sorrow while it
is there.
Why do we not speak such words
oftenerP Why do we not remember
to praise faithful, painstaking serv-
ants To say, Sin so many words"
that we like this or that or the other,
which has been done, and we'll done,
for our comfort 2 "In so many words"
tell them that we perceive that they
are endeavOring to do their best ain
so many words" make them feel that
we consider them of the same flesh
and blood with ourselves, and that we
know that they can be tired, discour-
aged, out of sorts, glad or sorry or
lonely, just as we are9 Such words
make good kindlings.
Why de we not, to our nearest and
dearest-husbands to wives, wives to
husbands, parents to children, and
children to parents-why do we not
OfteneT speak words of affection, as