The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1920-06-09
"A MODEST 'HOMEaIN THE
C0TTNTRY

Kansas City Star, compares the tower
ing sAlarble Of his conntry's capitol
monument, of magnificent significance
Witllsa home in the country" as fol
lows; "A few,s Sundays ago I stood or
a hill in Washing ton. My, heart thrilled
as Il looked OH the towering marble o.
my country s. scapitols and "a mist gath
cred in my eyes as. Standing there, !
thought of its tremendous significance
and the powers there assembled anG
the Responsibilities there centered-its
president, it's congress, its courts, its
gathered treasure, its army, its navy
and it's millions of citizens. 1t seemed
TO me the, best and the mightiest sight
& that the sun could find in its wheeling
course-tlIs majestic home OF a repub.
JIG that. has. taught the world it's best
hessons of liberty--and felt that II
wisdom, and Justice, and honor, abided
therein the world would stand indebted
to this temple on which my eyes rested
and in which the ark of my covenant
was lodged for it's final uplifting and
regeneration.
"A few days later visited a country
home, modest, quiet house, sheltered
by great trees and set in n circle of field
and meadow, gracious with the promise
Of harvest-barns and cribs we'll filed
and the old smoke house orOrous With
treasure-the fragrance of pink and
hollyhock mingling with the aroma OF
garden and orchard, and RESONANT with
the hum Of bees and ppultry's busy
clucking. Inside the house, thrift com;
fort and that cleanliness that is next to
godliness-tfle festful beds, She epen
fireplace, the books and papers, an5ii
the old clock that had held its stead,
fast pact amid the frolic of Weddings
that had welcomed in steady measure
the newborn babes of the family and
kept company with the watchers of the
sick bea sgs a seksa ~, the .n So1 s3n
bible. that, thumbed by fingers long
since stiiled, 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 master, strong and wholesome and
upright, wearing no mans collar, with
no mortgage on his rood and no lien on
isTYipening harvest, pitching his crops
in his own wisdom and selling them in
his own time in his chosen market:
master of his lands and master Of him
self. Nearby stood his aged father,
happy in the heart and home of his
son. And as they started to the house
the old mans hands rested on the young.
mans shouler, touching it with the
knighthood Of the fourth commandment
and laying there the unspeakable bless
ing Of an honored and grateful father.
AS they drew near the door the moth
er 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 tremb-
ling on herr lips as III simple phrase she
welcomed her husband aud son to their
home. Beyond was the good wife, true
OF touch and tenders happy amid her
household cares, clean Of heart and con-
science, the helpmate and the buckler
OF her husband. And the children,
strong and sturdy, trouping down the
lane with the flowing herd. or weary Of
simple sport seeking as truant birds
do, the quiet of the old home nest. And
Il say the night descend ,on that, home
falling gently as from THE wings of the
unseen dove. And the stars swarmed
in the bending skies; the trees thrilled
with the cricket's cry; the restless bird
called from the neighbofng wood; and
the father, a simple man Of God, gath.
ering the family about. him, read from
I. the bible the old, odd story of love and
faith, and then went down. in prayer.
the baby hidden amid the folds bf its
mothers dress, and closed the record
Of that simple day by calling down the
benediction of God on the family and
the home.
S And as 1 gazed the memory of the
great capitol faded from my brain, For
gotten it's treasure and its splendor
And I said, Surely here, here in the
homes of the people is lodged the ark
Of the covenant of my country.
Within the borders OF Crawford coun.
ty there are many such homes as de.
scribed by Mr.. Grady in the above ar.
ticle, and the owners of such would not
make an exchange for the most ex
pensive, stylish mansion in any Of the.
cities of the land. In these Crawford
county homes contentment reigns su. 4
prenne. One such home is that of p. y. /
Sandstrom in section s, Stockholm
township home Of seven gables
az Nels puts It, This is the old home
place, where the father S. N. Sandstrom
spent so many happy days, after. hay
ing endured the many hardsfnps of