The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-03-18

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Now, that man who is affa BILE in pub
lie and who Is irritable in private is
making fraudulent overissue of stock,
and he is as bad as bank that might
have S4OO, 900 or 500, 900 in bills in cir
culation with no specie in the vault.
Let us learn 'to show piety at home"
II we have it not there we have it not
anywhere. If we have not genuine
grace in the family circle. all our out
ward and public plausibility merely
springs from fear of the world or
from the Shiny, putrid pool of our own
selfishness. l tell you the home is a
mighty test of character. What you
are at home you are everywhere,
whether you demonstrate it or not.
Again, remark that home is a ref
uge. Life is the United States army
on the national road to Mexico, long
march with ever and anon a skirmish
and a battle. At eventide we pitch
our tent and stack our arms; we hang
up the war cap and lay our head on
the knapsack; we sleep until the morn
ing bugle calls us to marching and ac-
tion. How pleasant it is to rehearse
the victories and surprises and the at
tacks of the day, seated by the still
campfire of the home circle!
Yea, life is stormy sea. With
shivered masts and torn sails and hulk
aleak, we put into the harbor of home.
Blessed harbor! there we 60 for re-
pairs in the dry dock of quiet life. The
candle in the window Is to the toiling
man the lighthouse guiding him into
port. Children 60 forth to meet their
fathers as pilots at the Narrows take
the hand of ships. The doorsill of the
home is the wharf where heavy life is
unladen.
There is the place where we may
talk OF what we have done without be.
ing charged with self-adulation. There
is the place where we may lounge with
out being thought ungraceful. There
is the place where we may express at
fection without being thought silly.
There is the place where we may for
get our annoyances and exasperations
and troubles. Forlorn earth pilgrim!
no home? Then die. That is better
The grave is brighter and grander and
more glorious than this world, with
no tent from marchings, with no har-
Dor from the storm, with no place to
rest from this scene of greed and
gouge and loss and gain. God pity
the man or woman who has no home!
Further, remark. that home is po-
litical safeguard. The safety of the
state must be built on the safety of
the home. The Christian heartstone
is the only cornerstone for a repub-
lie. The virtues cultured in the fam
lly circle are an absolute necessity for
the state. If there be not enough
moral principle to make the family
adhere there will not be enough polit-
ical principle to make the state ad-
here. mo home" means the Goths
and Vandals. means the nomads of
Asia, means the Numidians of Afri-
ca, changing from place to place &C.
cording as the pasture happens to
change. Confounded be all those Ba-
bells of iniquity which would overflow
er and destroy tho home. The same
storm that upsets the ship in which
the family sails will sink the frigate
of the constitution. Jails and peni-
tentiaries, and armies and navies, are
not our best defense. The door of the
home is the best fortress. Household
utensils are the best artillery, and the
chimneys of our dwelling houses are
the grandest monuments of safety and
triumph. No home, no republic!
Further, remark that home is a
school. Old ground must be turned
up with subsoil plow, and it must be
narrowed and reharrowed. and then
the crop will not be as large as that of
the new ground with less culture.
Now, youth and childhood are new
ground, and all the influences thrown
over their heart and life will come up
in afterlife luxuriantly. Every time
you have given smile Of appro baton
all the good cheer of your life will
come up again in the geniality of your
children. And every ebullition of
anger and every uncomfortable dis
play of indignation will be fuel to
their disposition 20, or 80, or ~ years
from now-fuel for bad fire quar-.
ter of a century from this. You praise
the intelligence of your child too much
sometimes, when you think he is not
aware of it, and you will see the result
of it before ten years Of age in his an.
noying affectations. You praise his
beauty, supposing he is not large
enough to understand what you say
and you will find him standing on q
high chair before a fattering mirror
| Words and deeds and example are the
seed of character, and children are
very apt to be the second edition o.
their parents. Abraham begat Isaac
so virtue is apt to 60 down the ances
tral line; but Harold begat Archelaus
so iniquity is transmitted. What vas
responsibility comes upon parents il
view of this subject.
Oh, make your home the brightes
place on earth, If you would charm
your children to the high path of virtu
and rectitude and religion. Do not al
ways turn the blinds the wrong way
Let the light which puts gold on tn
gentiau and spots the pansy pour int
your dwellings, Do not expect tn
little feet to keep step to a dead march
Do not cover up your walls with sue
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