Greene County herald., 1908-08-28
Home
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n1ent.
THE IDEAL HOME.

THE IDEAL HOME.
written for this department by
request and on condition we omit
names. Out of six Requests sent
out four lady readers have respon-
ded as follows:)
My ideal, home, is not neces-
saryily adorned with the trap
pings of wealth; neither must it
be saddened by pinching poverty.
A competence there must be which,
with industry and thrift will pre-
serve its inmates from painful anx-
ieties. In this home, the husband
is the breadwinner, the wife is the
home maker, and together they
reign as king and queen over the
little realm. The children, for
there are children in my ideal
home. are loyal and obedient sub
jects, every one and it never oc-
ours to them, to question the di-
vine right Of their king and queen
to rule
Order and system prevail but
love and self-sacrifice for loves
sake, animates all hearts within
this home, and to be good is their
constant rule of conduct. Health,
smiling goddess, stands at its
portal and scatterS happiness and
prosperity with lavish hands. The
table is not only the place where
natures recruiting wants are daily
but a school of manners
yet there harmless mirth dis
ports itself unrehuked, and thought
upfettereA flows. Books there are
in abundance, bringing the culture
of all countries and all ages with
in reach of this charmed circle.
Flowers bloom in the window, a
smile at you from the garden
paths with their suggestions of
beauty and refinement. Yet, what
ever else may be there, the guests
who frequent this house are it's
choicest, most valued ornaments.
The head of my Ideal home
is father possessing firmness of
character without being a tyrant.
He gives the best that ne is, So
cialy and mentally, to his family.
The mother is patient, kind and
courageous, the children obedient.
This home is not the home of
wealth, neither is it the home OF
poverty. Order and system pre-
vail in every department. The ra-
dience of truth rests on each face,
There is refine enent and culture.
The mother tongue is spoken in
all its purity. This ideal home is
a Christian home. The Bible is
read here and it's precepts are lived
Books and papers are to be seen
every where The books are selec-
ted with care so that they may en-
tertain and instruct without cor
rupting the reader. No profanity
or slang is heard here. The cur
that inebriates has never had a
place in this home. The children
honor their parents and the parents
respect the rights of the children
and life is made as bright as DOS
sible for them. They are early
taught to love the beautiful in art
as we'll as in nature. Flowers and
music help to refine and beautify
their home. This family are taught
to deal justly and they weigh their
fellow man by what he is and not
what he wishes. This "ideal
home is so attractive that the
children are not tempted to spend
their evenings on the street or in
doubtful places of amusement.
Dear Editor What do you say
my idea of home" in the space
you indicate? A volume, and a
large one, would be required to dis
cuss the mere outlines of this sub
ject. But you have given me some
time to boil down my crude and
imperfect ideas on this theme. A
great writer, you know, said on
one occasion, "Thls is very long
letter, but positively | had not
time to make it shorter.
An Ideal Home - you say.
Well. it must be where physical
comforts are not wanting, but
where luxury and pretense have
not usurped the places of peace
and repose. There may be more
joy in the hovel than in the palace
but you are asking for the ideal
home and such home requires all
the comforts.
There must be music, because
music is the language of the soul
when ordinary language fails.
here must be religion. | do not
speak of creeds or doctrines or BIZ
bles or prayerbooks. There must
be deep, reverential, God fear
ing and Contrasting religion,
which exemplifies the doctrine
taught in the sermon on the mount,
and the golden rule. There should
be calm, low voices and quiet
manners. There should be children
and books, and pictures flowers.
The silver hairs and tremulous
voice of age should be there-the
grandmother or grandfather, or
both. The well-bred guest should
be there, and the way to the door
should not be hedged against the
poor, for he is always with you.
With these crude suggestions
accepted and applied, ] should say
with one whose literary shoes | am
not lworhy to unloose: