Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1913-10-16

sheltered by great trees ard set in a !
circle of field and meadow, gracious |
with q promise Of harvest, barns and
cribs well filled and the old smoke
house odorous with treasure, the fra
GRANGE of pink and roses mingling
with the aroma Of garden and orchard,
and resonant with the hum Of bees
and poultrys busy chucklng, inside
the house, thrift, comfort, that clean
linass that is next to Godliness, the
restlul beds, the open fireplace the
books and papers, and the old clock
that had held its steadfast pace amid
the frolic of weddings, that had wei
coined the newborn babes Of the lam
lily, and kept company with the watch
ers of the sick bed, and had licked
the solemn requiem Of the dead; and
the well-worn Bible that, thumbed
by fingers long since stilled, and
blurred with tears of eyes long since
closed, held the simple annals Of the
family, and the heart and conscience
of the home. Outside stood the mas
ter, strong and wholesome and up-
wright wearing no mans collar, with
no mortgage on his roof, and no lien
on his ripenng harvest; pitching
his crops in his own wisdom, and sell
ling them in his own time in his chos-
en- market; master CT his lands and
master of himself. Near by stood hi
aged father happy in the heart and
home of his son. And as they started
to the house the old mans hand rested
on the young mans shoulder, touch.
ing it with the knighthood Of tie
fourth commandment, and laying
there the unspeakable blessing of an
honored and grateful father. AS they
drew near to the door the old mother
appeared; the sunset falling on her
face, softening its wrinkles and its
tenderness, lighting up her patient
eyes, and the rich music Of her heart
trembling on her lips as in simple
phrase she welcomed her husband and
son to their home. Beyond was the
good wife, true of touch and tender,
happy amid her household cares,
clean of heart and conscience, the
helpmate and buckler Of her husband
And the children, strong and sturdy
trooping down the lane with the low
ing herd, or weary or simple sport
seeking, as truant birds do, the quiet
of the old home nest. And | saw the
night descend on that home, falling
gently as from the wings OF the un-
\ sees sdoee Aud the stars -sWazmet
in the bending skies the trees thrill
ed with the crickets cry, the restles.
bird called from the neighboring WOO,
and the father a simple man of God
gathering the family about him reaC
from the Bible the old, old story o
love and faith, and then went down il
I prayer, the baby hidden in the fold!
, of it's mothers dress, and closed til,
p record of that simple day by callini
q down the benediction Of God on tn,
F,,,;I,. ouI IA, homo
And as gazed the memory Of tn
great Capitol faded from my brain
= Forgotten its treasure and its sp,eu
dor And l said: Surely here, her
y in the homes of the people is lodge
f the ark of theScovenant of my cour
T. try. Here is its majesty and II
strength. Here the beginning Of II
y power and the end Of its responsibi
q ity." The homes OF the people; Il
# us keep them pure and Independent
p and all will be well with this gre;
Q Republic. Here is the lesson our foC
= may learn, here is work the humble
and weakest hands may do. Let us
o simple thrift and economy make o,
l. homes Independent Let us In frug
d industry make them self sustainn
J. In sacrifice and denial let us keC
y them free from debt and obllgatio
@ Let us make them homes of rein
a- ment in which We shall teach OF
ir daughters that mcdesty and patien,
N and genteuess are the charms
women. Let us make them temple
~ Of liberty, and teach our sons that q
/. honest conscience is every man
al first political law. That his sove
ii eighty rests beneath his hat and tn
ls no splendor can rob him and
nd force justify the surrender of I
of simplest right Of free and ind
rs pendent citizen. And above all,
of us honor God in our homes, anch
them close in his love- Build His ,
rd tars above cur Eearthstoncs, uphc
rt them In the set and simple faith
nix our fathers and crown them with t
of Bible, that book of all books In whi
nd all the ways Of life are made straig
H. and the mystery Of death Is ma
Ne plain. The home is the source Of q
a national life, Back Of the Capt.
ny and back Of the Government Of I
MS United States stands the citizen a
ID the home.
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