Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-03-23
ORATloN.
Delivered by W. B. Wilson. a. the clos.
ing exercises OF the Washington
Springs Free Methedist
Seminary, on March
2nd A. D.lSS8,
HOME.

Nation are its most important features.
Its truth is proyerbial. Where would
wedrift. were it not fer our homes
1t Is the first school we attend, where
we are taught truths, and form habits
which remain with us ever afterward.
The person who has had the good for
tune to havea home until he has
reached the age OF maturity, has en-
joyed one Of the greatest privileges ever
granted to mankind.
But what constitutes home? It's
not merely four square walls, though
with pictures hung and gilded. 1t is
where father and mother stay. 1t is
there that some oneis always thinking
of us though far away. Home is the
place all seek when wearied or in
trouble. There we are sure to find
sympathy and unprejudiced counsel
Homes are all alike in some respects.
In others they are as different as day.
light is from darkness. The home of
the peasant, be it mud hoyel or sod
shanty is as dear, to him, a5 the
gilded mansion Of the millionaire. The
home Of early childhood. unless clouded
by some dark shadow, is always re-
membered as the brightest spot in
life's Journey.
Any foreigher VIII tell YOU that
except fot money making his native
horne is the best place be has found.
The Chinese never want to die in this
country. They come to make money,
Then want to go back and enjoy home
for the rest Of their days. The sailor
on the ocean, The trayleT IN far distant
lands, and the wandcrer On the desert,
alike think of home as the one haven
of rest, to which they are gladly
welcome; after AL the rest otthe world
has lost its charms.
Ii wc look for Il moment at life
witE q home and without one this
attachnicnt VIII not seem strange.
i We paint 9 picture. Here is q
comfortable dwelling not luxur,ously
furnished ant: yet far removed from
poverty. H. IS evening and we will
take look inside; there around The
table are all the members O. the
family, fol in this model home, all Ge-
light to stag indoors at night, tt'haIe
is no freluentlng Of saloons, corner
;. isr0caries and ether Questionable
places Of resort. There is plenty of
good reading matter III this home, and
perchauce one OF the circle is enter
, tanning tie rest by reading aloud from
some fayoritc book or. late magazine
all are listening, all are happy and con.
tented 1t IS said that child brought
up in such a home until he is II years
{ Of age has acquired more knowledge
than he will all the rest Of his lie
What place is better than this model
homer What other place whose inn.l.
ence makes so good an Impression OF
! the young mind? 81.
We hesitate 70 paint the picture .oi
the unhappy home, the dark and for
j bidding drunkards home, or q life
! without q home. In either case chill
dren are thrown out into the. WorlC
and LETT To- Shift for themselves amlc
bad surroundings and worse associates
What will these little waits become IL
after years? Mill they be true, honest
honorable members OF society? Car
they look back upon their early child
hood days and say that the remember
ances OF the early home were pleasant
You know they cannot. What a dut.
then devolves upon parents. The!
should make the honle-nest warm
comfortable, and pleasant. Especia
care should be taken as to the idea
5 and notions they impress upon tn
minds Of the children. For a wrong
: Idea once impressed upon u child Il
very hard to erase. In extreme OIL
age when the mind is very weak ther'
is always one bright spot in memory'
: garden, which will never be, erased
! remember OF standing, q few years
ago Dy luS pStaol1lC. VI uL' Sio > g. ~
haired, dying man. OF hearing tn
low meanings as he. talked IN hal
artilulate tones Of his old homo il
Ohio, of his companions, his brothers
and sisters and Of the grave where
they buried his mother. And the las
words be uttered were "Take ms
home -" .'.'s'
: Fellow studentsj we have enjoyed;
l home here this Wintel.. Our r''worth,
teachers have don all il. their poMe!
to make it interesting and instructive
and who shall say that the habits
formed here will not 60 with; us ths
rest of ourlives. Let us remember al
the pleasant and. forget the unpleasant
things that have occurred during our
stay here.
To the teachers [ would say, W.
!, heartily thank you for the interest yot
have taken in us this winter, and car
assure you that we appreciate II