AN IDEAL farmer's HOME. 285 



AN IDEAL FARMER'S HOME. 



MRS. O. C. GREGG, LYND. 



la considering this subject, our mind is crowded with memories 

 of many homes made sacred by associations, all of which had some- 

 thing; of the ideal in them. Besides, we recall Longfellow's home 

 picture in "The Hanging of the Crane," Whittier's fireside scene in 

 "Snow Bound," Holland's delineations of home life in "Bitter 

 Sweet" and Burns' "Saturday Night." A halo of glory shines 

 around all these, yet still in our minds is ever something better. 



There is more expressed in the word "home" than can be put into 

 a few words. It is one of the indefinable words — too full of signifi- 

 cance to be framed in one sentence or, indeed, in many sentences. 

 To give an outline of a home truly ideal in every respect may not 

 be as easy a task as one might think. Again, what might seem 

 ideal to one would seem commonplace to another. One person 

 would lay great stress on situation, and another on architectural 

 and artistic points, while another would say, "Give me simplicity as 

 to appointments, with nature's beauty and glory alone as adorn- 

 ments." One would ask to have in the background New England's 

 mountains. Green or White, others would claim such surroundings 

 to be bleak and austere and demand as a requisite a sunny spot on 

 the fair slopes of the Pacific. We see by this that situation does not 

 make the home. 



With Americans the home idea is not wanting, and our love of 

 locality is large. Our home associations are dear to us, and the 

 thought of giving them up is a grief. Many nations live in houses 

 merely and move from one to another w^ithout dread or seeming- 

 annoyance, yet surely he is to be pitied who has not closelj' associ- 

 ated with the house in which he lives the tender thought of home. 

 Home! The place where true character has birth and education! The 

 nursery of the best life this earth affords! 



I think it is an American who has said, "The homes of a nation 

 are its strongest forts." This accepted, the founding and maintain- 

 ing of ideal homes is of great importance to the nation's strength 

 and becomes the highest aim of every patriotic citizen. As farm- 

 ers, we are to discuss today an ideal farmer's home, and this brings 

 us to the task of defining in as few words as possible the word 

 "home." It ia a place where loving natures find opporttinity for 

 activity and development, for rest and comfort when troubled and 

 weary and for sympathy when sorrowing or rejoicing. 



A home on the farm affords conditions where all these may be 

 realized and, perhaps, better than elsewhere. Away from the rush 

 of city life, with its interruptions and vexations, there is opportun- 

 ity for activity and development which is healthful and normal. 

 Here there is, also, time for rest in peaceful seclusion when bur- 

 dened or weary, as well as for that sympathy which is the true ex- 

 pression of sincere hearts. In the country, near to nature's great 

 heart, we drink in of her fullness and harmony. Who has not felt 

 the effect which rural surroundings have upon the senses? As one 

 breathes in the purity of the free air and takes in the grand sweep 

 of the horizon, as he beholds the sublimity of the unclouded sky or 

 that sky again clad in its varied cloud robes or its spangled even- 



