The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1851-08-22
A FARMERS LIFE.
The Hon. Josenh r Williams

the Michigan State Agricultural So
ciety, at Ann Arbor, which is distin.
guished by the soundness Of its vie VS..
no less than by the perspicuity with
which they are advanced. We sin.
cerely wish that we could afford room,
consistently with Our engagements,
for the whole OF this sterling produc'
ton; but being unable to do so, we
present to our readers an extract from
it, devoted to a consideration of the
farmers calling. 1t is as follows:
"The best faculties Of men must be
devoted to the farmers pursuits; the
best intellect must be engaged in it;
and the farmers life must be field
wide and attractive enough for the
engrossment and development ofeye.
ry human faculty, or error. or ignor.
ance and thrifllessress. will not be
exploded. and the calling will not Sc.
cure the elevated position it deserves.
Happily, a rapid change is perceptble.
The relative position of professional.
mercantile and farming pursuits, are
changing, day by day. The first are
no longer sought with so much avidity,
the last no longer Stunned. A wise
man should never encourage his chill.
dren to assume the duties, vexations
and hazards of precarious and unheaI.
thy pursuits, no matter how dazzling
the prospect, how brilliant the prize
There is higher object than wealth
to be gained-sound sleep and sound
health; a higher object than personal
distinction-a composed conscience.
In times past there seems to have
been kind Of infaluation among the
farming community in regard to
evasion of their honorable calling
Thirty years ago. father was prone
to act with his children as though he
himself followed a degraded calling.
lie seemed to deem professional or
mercantile life the only road to high
responsibility or social and official
distinction. The Webstcrs, the
Wrights, and the Filmores, were no,
retained to ennobIe their own, but
crowded off to illustrate and adorn
some other profession. 1t has some-
what mended of late. The public
mind has become more sound. 1t bios
fair to become perfectly sound. 1t
certainly will, if men will speak the
truth, and hear the truth, and practice
on its precepts. The world will
never regard the farmers calling as
the most honorable till it is so cher.
ished by hims If. In public eslima.
ton pursuit is apprec ated at the
value placed upon it by those who
follow it. Turn back, then, the tide
o. public sentiment among the agri-
cultural population. The sturdy sense
of many n sturdy farmer pierces the
gauze decisions thrown around the
fanciful and frivolous life Of the towns.
man. In the expression of his judg-
ment sound, he yet practically may
have sought all his life to make his
children the very butterflies he de.
tests. If he would have his occupa.
ton take rank as the most respected
and most dignified among men, he
must not himself act as though he
regarded it as q dull and stupid exer.
else Of human powers. | know not
so small farm, so limited garden,
that they may not engross all n mans
faculties and consume all his leisure.
A MELANCHOLY CAsE.-A poor, but
decent looking Irish woman, named
Margaret DAILY, was yesterday
brought before acting Recorder Haw.
thorn. on charge Of having jumped
into the river with the intention Of
drowning herself. When inquired Of
why she so acted, she told, in words
of touching simplicity, tale most
melancholy. She gave the history of
her young love-of the fond flight Of
many years. She spoke Of intemper'
ance, which stole away the affection
of her husband. and left him at times
very demon. And then she detail.
ed the circumstances of wrongs which
she had ondured--of the breaking Of
her household furniture in drunken
revels-of the forcing of the rings
from her fingers to sell them for liquor,
or--still more horrible-to give to
another-and, moreover, Of the threat
that he intended to forsake her TO live
with woman who was a disgrace 10
her sex.
Smarting under a sense Of these
combined grievances. she had given
way to black melancholy, and had
determined TO bury herself with all
her cares within the friendly bosom Of
the Father of Floods. On her promise
that she would not again attempt the
act OF selfdestruction, Margaret was
permitted 10 60 her way.--N o.
Della.