nial friendship link not the hearts of
the inmates of a dwelling it is not a Home. If love reign not there; if
charity spread not her downy mantle over all; if peace prevail not; if
contentment be not a meek and merry dweller therein; if virtue rear not
her beautiful children, and religion come not in her white robe of
gentleness to lay her hand in benediction on every head, the Home is not
complete. We are all in the habit of building for ourselves ideal homes.
But they are generally made up of outward things--a house, a garden, a
carriage, and the ornaments and appendages of luxury. And if in our
lives we do not realize our ideals, we make ourselves miserable and our
friends miserable. Half the women in our country are unhappy because
their Homes are not so luxurious as they wish.

Somebody has more ornament and style about their Homes than they, and so
they worry their souls to death about it. This is one of the most
fruitful sources of disquiet in nearly all our Homes. Our women want
more show, fashion, luxury, outward ornament than they can afford, or
than is necessary to their happiness. All around us there is a great sea
of disquiet from this one cause. We forget that Homes are not made up of
material things. It is not a fine house, rich furniture, a luxurious
table, a flowery garden, and a superb carriage that make a Home. A
world-wide distance from this is a true Home. Our ideal Homes should be
heart-homes, in which virtues live, and love-flowers bloom, and peace
offerings are daily brought to its altar. Our ideal Homes should be such
as we can and will make in our own lives. We should not expect Homes
better and happier than we are. Our Homes will be sure to be much like
us. If we are good, kind, and happy, our Homes will be likely to be. If
we are craving, selfish, discontented, our Homes will be. If all the
wealth in the world were laid at our feet and lavished on our Homes, we
should not be happier unless our hearts are better. Wealth, luxury,
ornament bring care, anxiety, and a craving for more, which render them
nearly valueless unless the heart is filled with virtue and contentment.
If I could moderate the material desires of the young women I address,
and elevate their spiritual longings in relation to their future Homes,
I should do a good service to them and their families. The grand idea of
Home is a quiet, secluded spot, where loving hearts dwell, set apart and
dedicated to _improvement_--to intellec