The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1890-06-27
An AMERICAN HONE

vent %, Washington lbs other day,
and / ttood On thS EatitS1 hill, and ny
heart beat quick DIS 1 looked at the tower,
ing marble OF my countfys capitol, and
fke mist. gathered in my eyes as / thought
Of its Tremendous, Significance; and the
armies, and the treasury; End the judges,
andthe president, and the congress-; ana tho
courts, and all that was gathered there.
And ]. felt that the sun in all it's purse
could not look down on q better sight than
that majestic home Of the republic that
had taught the world IDS Best lesson. Of
liberty. Aud ]. felt that, if honor aud juls-
tice and wisdom abide therein, the word
would at least owe the great house, in
which the ark Of the covenant of my coun-
tlfy, Is iSagsa, its Anal uplifting and its re.
eeneratioh., Two days Aftefwsrd : went
& E visit e.. I friend r TIE country, . modest lest
just 4 simple unpretehtious house SET
about with .great. big trees; encircled with
meadow and field rich with the promise of
harvest. The fragrance Of the PINK and
holybock in the front yard was mingled
with The aroma Of the orchard and of the
garden, and resonant with c!uck of poultry
and the hum of bees. Inside was cieanli-
ness thrift and comfort. There was tie
old clock that had welcomed in STEADY
measure every new conner to the family,
that had licked, the solemn requiem Of the
dead, and had kept Company with the
watcher at the bedside. There we.e the
big restful beds and the open fireplace,
and the old family bible, thumbed with the
fingers Of hands long since still and wet
with tbs tears of eyes long since closed
holding the Simple annals of the family,
aud the heatt and Conscience Of home.
Outside; there stood my friend; the master,
a simple, upright, independent man; with
no mortgage on his roof; ND lien on his
growing crops, master of his land ard mas
ter of himself. There was his old father,
an aged, trembling man, but happy in the
heart and home of his son. And as they
started to their home the hands of the old
NAH went down on the young mans
shoulder; laying there the unspeakable
blessing of the honored and grateful
father, and ennoblipg it with k%nfghthosd
of the fifth commandment. And as they
got to tie door the old mother came, with
the sunset falling fsir on her face and
lighting up her deep, patient eyes, while
her lips trembling with the rich music o!
her heart, she babe her husband and hel
BOZ welcome to their home. Beyond wat
the housewife busy with her household
cares, clean Of heart and conscience, the
butklee and helpmeet OF her husband
Down the lans came the children troopinl
after the cows, seeking as truant birds do
the quiet of the home nest. And 1 say
the night come down on that house, fall
ing gently as from the unseen dove
And the old man while astartled bird call
ed from the forest, and the trees shrille
with the crickets cry, and the stars wer
swarmipg in the sky, got the family aroun
him, and taking the old bible from th
table, called them to their knees, the littl
baby hiding in the fold of its mother
dress, while he closed the record of tbs
simple day by calling down Gods benedic
tion on that family aid that home. An
while I gazed the vision of the marbl
capitol faded. Forgotten were Its trea;
ures and its majesty, and I said: "Ol
surely, here in the homes of the people al
lodged at last the strength and the re
sponsibility Of government, the hope an
the promise Of the republic, Henry u
Ern1n.