St. Tammany farmer., 1911-04-01
COUNTRY HOMES.

The life of mankind does not al
together depend on the home train
ing or early home comforts as much
as upon the comforts of living in
years that come after. No character
is developed in early life, no lasting
effect is produced on undeveloped
mindsfi for no memory is yet grown
SO that only in more advanced con-
dition of growth can home have
much of lasting influence.
Since time was, no home has ever
been complete in all its requirements
that does not embarce culture OF
its own, separate and distinct from
that of any other household, and no
home without this individuality OF
| influence can ever be reckoned or
estimated as of any Importance, and
| its inmates bear its stamp of non
entity.
People grown from such conditions
wonder in amazement of no under
standing at the life, character and
s. lcess of some people who seem so
different from themselves without
| any apparent reason or cause. Such
differences are often ascribed to the
favor of the gods, divine blessings,
or else some super-human power not
| to be discerned or found out by
others, when really it Is no difference
at all, only that of cultivated home
life, where principle is not only the
ruling power, but so subserviant to
everyday uses as to be, to all ap-
pearances, eliminated. Hence, it has
alawys been asserted that what man
does every day, is that which con-
stitutes his lift, character, success
and happiness in this world of living
as we know it today.
No life can be thus lived SO freely
as in the country. No life can be
so shaped and guarded, as well as
protected by divine aff1atus as that
sheltered by the loving protection
of trees and hill-tops. No vision can
be so introspective, and needs so well
felt, as when closed in by leafy hid
ings, that merely break the glare
with the warm glow of sunshine
and it's cooling shadows of peace. No
home can be ever so beautiful that
does not thus preclude error and its
brazen imposture.
Hidden away in calmness and COM
fort among the over-ruling standard
bearers of health and beauty, accord
ing to location and cline, no home
life can be ever so dear to mans
heart, or inspire such longings of
spiritual gifts and glory as Is to be
found amid such reflections.
Granting that man is more OF
brother and friend to man when
daily associated in the marts of
trade, gathering the riches of ma
terial life as are produced by man for
his ratificial needs and social require
ments, "the ups and downs" of gain
and loss, that is so often but a
struggle to move at all, taking all OF
his energy to barely forecast for to-
morrow-daring winds and storms,
fire and food, as foes to be encoun-
tered and overcome. Is this as ma
ture intended? We think not, for
there is no direct natural cause that
in not for good of natural living.
Therefore when all natural life is
thus SO undervalued, man goes on
to an end where no principle is in
volved-the ringing church bells are
lest in the clamor of super i'm
posed earthly existence-the winds
and sunshine are turned aside by
Shafts of human erection, while the
needs of man separated from those
of animal or vegetable life, and the
three domains have no medium OF
concourse or interdependence of ac-
tion-man being thus severed from
all that can protect and make clean
in the attainment of happiness that
is in touch with his natural require
ments, which are thus starved and
left to beg.
With the naural elements as not
friends and protectors, but actual
sustainers Of life, no disasters can
suppress or unkindness destroy, for
the bloom of the trees will come
forth again next season, perhaps
more beautiful for having had long
rest in which to gather strength of
double effort Hence, there is no
sorrow no suffering that can leave
cankerous spot on the suface sustain
ed by blood forced into activity by
perpetual concourse of harmonic
ing influences as are to be found only
in a righteous living amid rural sur
roundings.
Hence, living in touch with ma
lures law is one of the fundamental
processes of country home life, and
Is next only to that of the divine law
or guidance of man as is construed
to individual needs or requirements.
Hence, social law becomes only a
necessity where many are gathered
together for profit and advancement
in directions suited to individual
pleasure or profit. Since man was
created the three great laws of the
universe have been the three great
guides Of his life and happiness, yet
they are all so little considered in
the light of gain or advancement in
any direction.
"The fear of the Lord is the be-
ginning of wisdom, (the fear to do
| wrong in the violation of law, but
it is only known to or felt by those
| whose beautiful home shelter is at
the mercy of natures power of de-
struction, for wisdom carries not al
ways and in places with such power
as to assail its every foe. And it
is the trustful heart in divine power
alone that has so barricaded the
| places men call home, and saved
| from destruction its every wall.
| This is natural product OF a
country home life, a natural require
ment of life lived in the open and
freedom of the elements that know
and do that which an overruling
power portends and makes inevitable
/ Hence to live in touch of subsevi.
ency to divine power is to live ir
protection and gain of natures laws
and benefits-which is equal gain fol
all, and special gain only to thoss
whose powers of discernment can lif
them up high enough to view the
coming morrow.
This, then, is characteristic O.
natural hanniness which when in