The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1904-02-05
MAKE HOME ATTRACTIVE.
There Must He That in Our Surround
ipEs to stimulate the sense
of the Beautiful

First let US consider what d home
is. The term home is generally under
stood as the abode or dwelling place.
This may be very rude affair. or cost
ly and palatial in its magnincence. Our
pioneer fathers, when they settled in
the wilderness Of Michigan 80 and 90
years ago, built their homes OF dwell
Ings out of rough logs. cut from the
trees Of the forest. laid one above the
other: the cracks between the logs
were "chinked" or filed with strips OF
wood split V-shaped. and these were
covered with clay mud 10 keep out the
cold blasts of winter For a roof. thin
strips of wood-oalled shakes-vere
split out and fastened to poles that
were secured 10 the rafters crosswfse
Ii rough boards could rot be procured
for floor. huge planks were split out
Of trees and used for this purpose. And
who shall say. asks writer in the
Prairie Farmer Home Magazine. that
those who now live in fine dwellings
and surrounded with the modern COM
forts and luxuries Of life. are any hap
pier than were our pioneer fathers.
whose homes were similar TO the one
described above, in which the writer
spent his boyhood days? The life of a
pioneer was a simple one. because his
wants were few in comparison with the
present time. He bent all his energies
10 clear away the forests so as 10 be
able to provide a better home and more
OF the comforts of life. In time the
rude log house was torn down and re-
placed by a more modern and commo-
dious dwelling AS the pioneer looked
upon all trees, both great and small. as
an incumbranee to be gotten rid of. the
thought that they would adorn his
home II few of them were left where
his modern dwelling would stand. new
er entered his mind. Too many sons
OF the pioneers have grown up instilled
with the same idea that forest trees
are an incumOrance. or only useful as
fuel or lumber. This is one reason why
We see so many farmers homes look
ing so barren. and void of all that
makes home in the country look
beautiful TO the passerby The interior
of these homes SO far as the furnishing
or adornment is concerned. may be all
one could wish, but the exterior is de-
void of all that is tasteful and pleasing
TO the eye. The farmer has many ad-
Xantages that aid to make the perfect
home. He can have plenty of room
around his dwelling for forest and or
namental trees, and neat lawn, which
require but small outlay Of money or
time. This is no theory. but the practi-
cal eXperience of the writer There must
be that in our surroundings to stimu-
late the sense of the beautiful, if that
part of the mind is to be developed.
The man who uses coarse or rough
language, and is uncouth in manners
or slovenly in appearance when in so
ciety. generally has his home or dwell
Ing surrounded with rubbish, with no
appearance of neatness anywhere II
lies with us farmers to improve the ad-
vantages which We have. Is il not our
duty TO strive to provide such a home
as will develop the accomplishments
and qualities of mind that constitute
ideal manhood? 1t is in the home that
We must look for the richest product of
the farm II we wish our sons and
daughters TO grow UP TO be refined men
and women and fill places of honor and
trust, We as parents must strive 10
make our homes as neat and attractsye
as our circumstances viii allow In
stead Of spending so much Of our time
plodding in the field with nothing but
the almighty dollar in view. let us
spend more time in the adorament of
our homes. so that our sons and daugh-
ters VIII he il no haste 10 leave them
when they become men amt women.