Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-04-04
For the Farmers Corner Of tho Advertiser.
LEAF FROM THE HISTORY OF FARMER
THRIFTY,


and his saddle horse His father, very
worthy man, possessing Il share Of common
sense considerably above medocrity, en-
deavored to give his children as liberal an
education as his circumstances would allow,
together with practical knowledge of bu-
siness.
An ardent desire for knowledge, together
with taste for reading, did more for our
hero than mere school education; and du-
ring the long cheerful winter evenings, aud
the leisure hours in the summer, book after
book was devoured with the greatest avidity.
Young Thrifty and Dolorous were neigh
bors, and had equal advantages; but while
the one was striving to lay up stores Of
mental and practical wealth, the other lay
for hours on the banks Of a stream waiting
for nibble, in sort of dreamy trance, or
dozed away the long hours which Providence
has so kindly appropriated to the boarding
up of those treasures that no adversely can
deprive us of-or, loitered about with a
cigar or quid Of tobacco in his mouth, by
way of amusement.
At twenty.one Thrifty married neigh.
boring farmers daughter, who loved him
quite we'll enough to endure hardship and
poverty with him, if need be, but neverthe-
less who possessed sufficient discernment to
discover in him the germ which, once de-
veloped, would bloom with no ordinary
beauty. On the fifty acre lot was built a
snug little cottage, with four neat rooms, and
passage. Itstood amid cluster of water
oaks, with a space at the back for vegeta-
BILE garden, and in hollow at one side but
a few PAGES from the neatly built gate, was
a fine pure spring of water, rolling up through
flint rocks, white as snow, while its accom-
panying rill murmured and bubbled onward
through thicket of willows to neighboring
stream on which stood a moss covered mill.
By dint of hard work, hopeful spirit and
unwonted perseverance, new-ground of a
few acres was taken in, fences put in repair,
a garden paled in and broke up, a spring
house built below the flint rock fountain, and
every thing else possible, conducive to the
comfort of small family. In the long win
ter evenings when the tolls of the day were
over, the frugal but well-prepared repast
finished, the table cleared and every thing
put to rights, and Mary, seated with her
sewing at her nicely rubbed workable, the
book was brought with the mark in the place
at which it was left off the previous evening,
and hour after hour passed protitably and
pleasantly to each.
Every thing prospered with farmer Thrift.
ty. His stock were well taken care OF, con-
sequently looked we'll and repaid him for
his pains. The neat little dairy which was
built of logs with dirt foor-for Thrifty
lived distance from saw mill-was neat
ly sanded and the pine shelves as white as
sand, soap and hard labour could get them.
The water purled through pebbled gutter
down the centre, where in warm weather
the clean pans of rich milk were set No
onesin the country had such delicious milk,
cream and butter as Mrs. Thrifty. No one
raised so much poultry or had such early
vegetables. Neighbor Dolorous grumbled,
and said it was willed so. That he was
fated to be poor and Thrifty rich, aud it was
not worth while to strive against it. Thrifty
thought little energy and industry would
change his neighbor's destiny, if he would
put it into practice. If the seasons proved
unfavorable, Thrifty worked the harder and
hoped on. If CLEAN of dependency ever
shaded his brow the encouraging smiles and
sympathies of his wife dispelled the gloom,
and he prayed to Heaven that he might be
more thankful.
Years went by-sons and daughters clus'
tered around the board-they were raised
as their parents had been, with firm re-
lance in Providence, and habits of thrift
and economy. William and Mary, the eld-
est son and daughter, healthy and beautiful
children, soon began to assist father and
mother; there was no compulsion necessary;
love was the watchword through the house
hold, and through its heaven.born sway,
each member was governed. A family Of
negroes had been purchased long ago by the
surplus proceeds saved from the fruits OF
their toll, which had increased until dozen
in number-they were quite little fortune.
Several thousand dollars were invested in q
safe institution to accumulate for the chill
dren. Rooms had been added to the house.
1t had been painted, and roses, jesanine and
woodbine clambered lovingly over the porch
and windows. The husband and father had
in his leisure hours constructed fancful
paliug for the yard, and frames for the
creepers in the part allotted for flowers.
William loved to dig and prune, and the
flower-garden was his peculiar care. Mary
knit stockings for father and brothers, mind,
ed the baby when its nurse was helping
mother, kept little Annie out of mischief and
accomplished quite as much as any little ten