The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1852-05-04
Two Pictures of a farmers ,yome.
From Maj. Patrick's Address before the Jefferson
Agricultural Society.


An industrious pair, some twenty or thirty
years ago, commenced the world with strong
hands. stout hearts, robust health and steady
habits. By the blessings Of Heaven their in
dustry has been rewarded with plenty ,and their
labors have been crowned with success. The
dense forests have given way 10 stately orchards
Of fruit, ard fertile fields and waving meadows
and verdant pastures, covered with the eviden-
ces Of worldly prosperity. The !Gg cabin is
gone, and its stead a fair white house, two sto-
res. and wing, with kitchen in the rear;
fanked by barns, and cribs, and granaries, and
dairy houses.
But take nearer view. Ha. what means that
mighty crop Of renowned thsrles bordering the
roadl For what market is that still greater
crop Of pig-weed, dock and nettles destined,
that fills rp the space they call the "gardenl'
And look, too, at those wide, unsigh,ly thick
cts of elm and sumach. and briets, and skoke-
berry, that mark the line OF every fence!
Approach the house: built 10 the road TO be
conpenient. and save land. Two stories and a
wing, and every blind shut close as miser's
fist, without tree. shrub or flower 10 break
the air Of barrenness and desolation around il.
There il stands white. glsring and ghastly as
pyramid Of bones in a desert. Mount the
upfrequented door-stone, grown over with vile
weeds, and knock till your knuckles are sore.
II is a beautiful moonlight October evening,
and as you stand upon that stone. a ringing
laugh comes from The rear, aud satisfies you
that somebody lives fhere. Pass DOW around
10 the rear, but hold your nose when you
come within range Of the piggery, and have a
care that you don't get swsmped in the neigh
uorhood of the sinkspout Enter The kitchen.
Hs! they are all alive, and here they live all
together. The kitchen is the kilcher, the d-
ming room. the sitting room, the room OF all
work. Here father sits with his hat on,n his
shirt sleeves; around HIM are his boys and hir-
ed men, some with hats. some with coats, and
some with neither. The boys are busy shell
ling corn for samp, the hired men are scraping
whip-stocks and whutling bow.pins. throwing
every now and then sleeps eye or jest at
the girls, who, with their mother, are doing up
the work. The younger fry are building cob
houses. psrchiag corn. and burning their fin
gers. Not book is TO be seen, though the win
ter school is commenced. and the master going
10 board there. Privacy is a word Of unk nown
meaning in the family aud If a son or daughter
should borrow book, il would be almost i'm
possible in that room: and on occasion is
the front Of the house opened except when
s'company comes 10 spend the afternoon" when
things are brushed and busted, and .set to
rights.
Yet these are as honest, as worthy and Kind
hearted people as you will find anywhere, and
are studying out some way Of getting their
younger children into better position than
they themselves occupy. They are 10 easy cir
cumstances, owe nothing, and have money
loaned on bond aud mortgage. After much
consultation son is placed at school that he
may be fitted to 60 into a store, or possibly in
10 an Office, to study profession, and dsugh-
ter is sent away TO learn hooks. and manners,
and gentilty. On this son or daughter. or
both, the bard earnings OF years are lavished,
and thev are reared up in the belief that what.
ever smscks OF the country are vulgat-that the
fs<mes is necessarily III bred, and his calling
ignoble.
Now will any body say that this picture is
overdrawol think not. But let us see il
there is not ready way TO change the whole
expression aud character Of the picture, almost
without the cost or trouble. / would point ou'
an easier and more economical way OF educa-
ting those children Gar more thoroughly, while
AZ the same time the minds Of the parents are
expande d. and they are prepared to enjoy, ia
the society OF their educated children,the fruits
Of their own early industry. n
And first: let the front part OF that house be
thrown open. and the most convenient. agreea-
BILE and pleasant room 10 il be selected as the
family room. Let its doors be ever open. and
when the work Of the kitchen is completed
let mothers and daughters be found there with
their appropriate work.
Lett be the room where the family altar !,
erected, on which the father offers the morn.
ing aod evening sacrifice. Let il be consecrs.
TO Neatness, Purity aud Truth. Let 90 ha
ever be seen in this room onlhe head of its ow,
ner--iet no coatless individual be permitted q
enter Il, IL tarher's head Is bald, land som,
thsre are 10 this prsdicsmepi) bis dsush,s