Year: 1874




While, in the main, we endorse the writer
of the following, there cannot be too much
stress laid on the fact that an ill-kept house
must inevitably breed discomfort and dis
cord:


1.-The truest homes are often in houses not
especially well kept, where the comfort and
happiness of the inmates, rather than the
preservation of the furniture, is first consult
ed. The object of home is to be the centre.
the point of tenderest interest, the pivot on
which family life turns. The first requisite
is to make it attractive, so attractive that
none of its inmates shall care to linger long
outside its limits. All legitimate means
should be employed to this end and no ef-
fort spared that can contribute TO the pur-
pose. Many houses called homes, kept with
waxy neatness by painstaking, anxious wom-
en-, are so oppressive in their nicely as 10 ex-
clude all home-feeling from their spotess
precincts. The very name of home is syn
onymous with personal freedom and relaxa-
ton from care. But neither of these can he
felt where such a mania for external ceanli-
ness pervades the household as TO render
everything else subservient thereto Many
housewives, if they see speck on floor or
wall, or even scrap of thread or bit of pa
per on the floor, rush ut it, us if it were the
seed OF pestience, which must be removed
on the instant. Their temper depends upon
their maintenance OF perfect purity and or
der. II there be any failure on their part,
or any combination of circumstances against
them, they fall into pathetic despair, and
can hardly be lifted out. They do not see
that cheerfuness is more needful to home
than all the spotlessness that ever shone.
Their disposition to wage war upon macu-
lateness OF any sort increases until they be-
come slaves of the broom and dust-pan.
Neatness is one thing, and II state of perpet-
ual house cleaning is quite another.


Ont of this grows by degrees the feeling
that certain things and apartments are too
good for daily use. Hence, chairs and sofa
are covered, and room shut up, save for spe-
cial occasions, when they are permitted to
reveal their violated sacredness in manner
that mars every pretense of hospitality
Nothing should be bought which is consid-
cred too fine for the fullest domestic appro-
priation. Far better is the plainest furniture,
on which the children can climb, than satin
and damask which must be viewed with
reverence. Where anything is reserved or
secluded, to disguise the fact is extremely
difficult. A chilly air wraps it round, and
the repulsion of strangeness is experienced
| by the most insensibe


There are few persons who have not visit
ed houses where they have been introduced
to what is known rs the company parlor.
They must remember how uncomfortable
they were while sitting in it; how they found
1t almost impossible tn be Mt ease, and main
! VI for the reason that their host and hostess
were not themselves ut ease. The children
were watched with lynx eyes, lest they
should dsplace or soil something; so that
the entertainment of friends became very
much like social discipline. They must
recall, too, how sweet the fresh air seemed
out of doors, and how they inwardly vowed,
in leaving that temple of form and fdget-
ness that something more than politeness
would be required to incitc them to return.


Home ia not name, nor u form, nor Il
routine. II is II spirit, presence, princi-
Pile. Material and method will not, and can
not make it. 1t must get its light and sweet
ness from those who nhabit 1t, from flowers
and sunshine, from sympathetic natures
which, in their exercise Of sympathy, can
lay aside the tyranny of the broom and the
awful duty Of endless sorubbing. Serb
ner'S Monthly.