Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-06-23
The Thriftless Farmer.

We copy the following from the Fort
Wayne Times, and regard it as one of the
best portraits ola "thriflless farmer" we
have seen.
The thrifIess farmer, then, provides no
shelter for his cattle during the incIemency
of winter; but permits them to stand shlv-
ering by The side of fence, or to le in the
snow, as best suits them.
He throw their fodder on the ground, or
in the mud, and not unfrequemtly in the
highway; by which large portion OF it,
and all the manures re wasted.
He grazes his meadows in The fall and
spring, by which means they are gradually
exhausted and finally ruined
HIS fences are old and poor just such
as 10 let his neighbors' cattle break into
his fields, and teach his own to be unruIy.
He neglects to keep the manure from
by which they are prema,ureIy rotled,
and his barn destroyed.
He tils, or skins over the sualace of his
land, until it is exhausted but never thinks
it worth while to manure or clover il. For
the first, he has no time Cor the last, he
sis not able"
He has more stock thas he has means to
keep weH
He has place Tor nothing, and nothing
in its place. He, consequently, wants
hoe or rake. hammer or an auger, but
knows not where to find them. lie and
his whole household are after it, and much
time is lost
He lolters away stormy days and even
ings, when he shout be repairing his uten-
sls, or improving his mind by reading the
newspapers.
He spends much time in town, at the
corners of the streets, or in the "snake
holes" complaining OF "hard ,lmes," and
goes home in the evening, "pretty well
tore"
He plants few fruit trees, and his cat
tie iorwith destroy them. He "has 10 tuck
in raising fruit"
One.haIf of the little he raises is Destroy
I'd by his own, or his neighbors cattle.
lie has no shed for his fire-wood- con-
sequently his wife is out OF humor, and his
meals out of season.
His plough, drag, and other implements
are all winter in the field where last used /;
and just as he is getting in hurry the next
season, his plough breaks, because it was
not housed aud properly cared for.
Somebody's hogs break in aud destroy
his garden, because he had not stopped a
hole in The fence, which he had been in
tending to stop for a week.
He is often in great hurry, but will stop
and talk as long as he can 6nd any one to
talk with.
He has, of course, little money and
when he must raise some to pay his taxes,
&c, he raises it a, a great sacrifice in some
way or other; either by paying an enor-
nous Shaue, or by selling his scanty crop
when prices are low.
He is year behind. instead of being a
year ahead Of his business--and always
will be.
He buys entirely on credit, and merchants
: and all Others with whom he deals, charge
him twice or thrice the profit the, charge
prompt paymasters, and are unwilling I,
sell him goods at that. He has to beg and
promise, and promise and beg, to get Their
on any terms. The merchants dread to Sc,
: his wife come into their stores, aud thu
poor woman feels depressed and degraded
The smoke begins to come OUT of hi
: chimney late of winters morning, whit,
his cattle are suffering for their mornings
feed.
Manure lies in heaps in his stable hi.
horses are rough and uncurried, and hi
harness ,rod under their feet.
= His bars and gates are broken, his build
It ings implanted, and the boards and shingles
e falling of-he has no time to replace them
e the glass is out Of his windows, and III,
. hole stopped with rags and old hats.
b He is great borrower of his thrifty
S neighbors' implements, but never returns
r the borrowed article; and, when it is sem
= for, it can't be found.
e His children are late at school-that is i
e they go TO school-- their clothes ragged
s their faces unwashed their hends uncomb
e ed, and their books torn and dirty.
S He Is, in person, great sloven, an,
: never attends public worslIip--or If he &c
I casionally do so, he comes sneakng IN when
r the service was half out.
{ II the printer wants quarter Of beef, OF
s few bushels OF oats. corn, or potatoes, OF
s. his bill, our farmer has none TO spare"
! Take him all aud in all, he is a pool
3, Turner, poor husband, a poor father. 1
8 poor ne'ghbor, poor citizen. poor Chris
,'an, poor man any way you can take
hin,