The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1895-05-09
SIDE OBSERVATIONS.

SIDE OBSERVATIONS. M
Home! That word touches every
fiber Of the soul, and strikes every
chord of the human heart with it's
angelic fingers. Nothing but death
can break it's spell. What pleasing
images and deep emotions it awakensl
It calls up the fondest memories Of
life, and opens in our nature the plr-
est, deepest, richest gush Of consecra
ted thought and feeling. Ask the
man of mature years, whose brow is
furrowed by care, whose mind is en-@
crossed with business ask him what
is home. He will tell you: 1T is q
place of rest, haven of content,
where loved ones relieve him Of the
burden Of every day life, too heavy
to be continually borne, from whence,
refreshed and invigorated, he goes
forth to do battle again" Ask the
lone wanderer as he plods his weary
way, bent with the weight Of years
and white with the fruits Of age
ask him what is home. He will tell
you: 1T is green spot IN memory,
an oasis in the desert, center about
which the fondest recollections Of his
grief-possessed hearts clings with all
the tenacity of youths first love. It
was once glorious, happy reality
but now its rest only as an image Of
the mind. .#
Wherever the heart wanders it car
ries the thought of home with it.
Wherever by the rivers of Babylon
the heart feels it's loss and loneliness
it hangs its harp upon the willows
and weeps. 1t prefers home to its
chief JOY. 1t will never forget it; for
there swelled it's first throb, there
were developed it's first affections.
there mothers eye looked into it;
there fathers prayer blessed it;
there the love of parents and broth.
ers and sisters gave it precious enter
tainment. There bubbled up, from
unseen fountains, ,life's first efferescing
hope. There life took form and con-
sistence. From that center went out,
all young ambition. Toward that
focus returns it's concentrating mem-
.ories. There it took form and fitted
itself to loving natures; and it will
carry that. impress wherever III be-
comes polluted by sin 81 makes to IT,
self another home sanctifed by{a new
and more precious Affection:
*** 81
He who has no home has not the.
sweetest pleasures of life. He feels :
not the thousand endearments that
cluster around that hallowed spot,
to fill the void of his aching heart,
and while away his leisure moments
in the sweetest of life's enjoyments. !.
Is misfortune you lot, you will find
friendly welcome from hearts beating
time to your own. The chosen part
ner of your toll has smile of appro-
baton when others have deserted
you, hand of hope when all others
refuse, and a heart to feel your sor-
rows as your own. No matter how
humble that home may be, how des-
titute it's store, or how poorly its in
mates are clad, if true hearts dwell
therein, it is still home.
*** f~.',
But all pictures of earthly happi-
ness are transient in duration.
Where can you find an unbroken
family7 They are not very numerous
in this broad world. And the time
is coming, if it has not already come,
when you will be separated from
those who have surrounded the same
parental board, mingled with you
in gay-haired parents, and partici-
pated in the joys of childhood's hap
py days. In the unseen future your
brothers and sisters may be taken
from you, and your lives be spent
apart. CASUAL OBSERVER.
Branching Out.