Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-06-21
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
HOMES OF WOMEN.
A Short Sermon to Women, Married or
Single.

1T is happy faculty,
OF women far and wide,
To turn q cot or palace,
Into something else beside"
Have home! Miss Cleveland ur-
gently advises all women. First and
last would say to you, have home
of your own!"
The ideal home has in it the pattct
of childish feet, and the prattle of
child-voices mingling with both
manly and womanly one. But often,
in this life, an ideal is never reached.
And by force of circumstances, many
q woman must either forego the pleas
ure of having home of her own, or
she must make it herself without help,
which, however desirable. is not neces-
sary.
For woman is par excellence the homo
maker A man may build u house, but
mo man in the world can build that
precious thing called home" Alone,
he dwells in bunk-housc or quarters,
keeps bach or runs restaurant.
Woman, by his side. can make any
place home-like-and alone, show her
superiority. A widow keeps the hearth
fire burning. guards her little ones
from the GOODNESS and rebuffs of the
outer world, and sends them out at
last, full-hedged. from the dearest
place on earth. While the woman who
has never married can still choose a
spot where she will be always welcome;
make for herself place affording j :
trinsic rest and liberty-in other words,
home.
| can remember no homer place
than one where three women dwelt-
with never a man about-the scene of
week pleasant visit in my girlhood.
A few years before, the father, long
the only surviving parent, had died,
and the daughters stayed at the old
home-place. let the land. worked the
garden, and sold the surplus fruit of
the orchard. They had an ever pres
ent interest in their only brother and
his family, who lived near, but sensibly
preferred home of their own, to shar-
ing that of another.
Why these women-'girls," the
elder affcctionately called the others,
though the youngest was twenty-nine
had not married, do not know. A
sense of filial duty may have prevent
ed; relentless death have come be-
tween; or, again, there may have been
10 ''good chance" But this / know
there was no sign of pining, the most
was made of life, and peace and plenty
abounded. The wood-tires were very
cheerful; there were papers and tempt
ing piles of old magazines, and scrap
books in bulky volumes, and the whole
house was pervaded with that peculiar
feeling best described by the word
heartSome.
But not only do women in the com
mon walks of life need the home
Fame, itself, is not substitute, and
no special work can atone for its alb
sence. Astronomer, author, or philan
thropist can only be in her best estate
in that abiding-place to which the hear
as instnctively turns as does the nee
die to its pole.
We read of the charming home of AL
ice and Phoebe Cary in New York
where they entertained, sometimes
delightful guests, and wrote the tende
poems which won their livelihood. w,
hear, also, of Elizabeth Stuart Phelps
home by the sea; and that made b,
Louisa M. Alcott in which loved one
have been tenderly cared for.
Rose Elizabeth Cleveland, will
whose exhortation this article began
has practiced the thing she recon
mends, and has improved and beauti
fed home of her own. In the Ii
brary, where her morning hours ar
spent, are her fathers armchair an,
secretary; belongings of her mothe
are in other rooms, and here the mis-
tress of-but not the servant to-a wei
ordered home, finds place to thin
her thoughts, and to dispense, on oc
, casion, to invited friends charming
| hospitality. Wonsan's Magazine.