Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-06-14
From ne southern Homestead.
Farmers Daughters.


BYL. VIRGINIA FRENCH.
A YOUNG GIRL who happens to be the
daughter of real, genuine farmer, should
consider herself particularly Fortunate
Her position is one which contains all the
elements which 60 to make up lofty
character; it is calculated to bring out all
the energies, to develope all the natural
gifts, and in time, with proper guides, to
make her one of the greatest women in
the world. If there be in life one situation
above all others, where the daughters may
grow up healthful, beautiful, useful, grace
full, intelligent, and pure, that situation 1
believe to be as one of the household band,
in the home of the honest and independent
farmer or planter. 1 would say to young
girls whose lines have fallen in such "pleas-
ant Places" do not undervalue your pecu-
liar advantages. You are the "highly ia
vored among women" The circumstan-
ces in which you are placed, are such as
are best calculated to develope your powers
in threefold form physically, mentally,
and morally. would have you value
your advantages, improve every one of
them to the utmost, and place a proper
estimate upon yourselves. You have every
opportunity to make yourselves noble,
beautiful, intellectual, and useful women !;
do this then, and each in her own person
assert the dignity of labor" Consult
your parents, and form for yourself pur-
pose in life. They place before your broth
er some aim, some standard, some goal
which his exertions are to reach, why not
then give you something to live for"
also? Why should you be the only cipher
in the family? When you have Finish
ed" school don't, for one moment, believe
that you are educated" Don't "dress
up" in your six fiounces. etc, and sit down
on the parlor sofa, waiting for that young
clerk at "Ketchum & Cheatem's" to
"call round" No; let him show off his
laces, embroideries, etc, etc, and ,oear
them too, for all that you care about it.
will, as for you" you have something else
to do than to sit down, fold your white
hands, and ,oait to be married You have
an influence in society to WELD, duty as
a daughter, and perhaps as sister to per-
form,-and then you must not forget your
self-for you have mind to be cultivated
10, ha Ia1 ~ 70 no al,
ted, and an immortal soul to be saved. Is
not this a great deal of work ? Yes, trust
me, if you only set about it with will +"
you will find every moment employed, and
every day too short for the accomplishment
of all your duties. You know how much
you can assist Mamma in all her varied
departments of domestic economy,-the
dairy, the poultry-yard, the store-room, the
sewing basket, the garden, the shrubbery,
and twenty other things over which her
watchful eye presides but while doing all
you can for her, please don't neglect Papa.
Now, see you smile incredulously, saying
to your nice little SELF "Why what in the
world could do for Papa Pr Oh great
deal, if you will only assume the respon-
sibility. Besides preparing him some re-
freshing delicacy when he comes in, as he
expresses it, hungry as hawk" or sing
ing him sweet song when his mind is
over-tasked; you can talk with him, and
learn of him about his fields, his stock,
or his buildings,-you can read to him his
agricultural books and papers, (for there is
great deal of "head work" in farming)
and thus improve your own mind, while
adding also to his knowledge. Suppose
then, that some day he is called off on i'm
portant business; though it is in the hurry
of harvesting !" he quietly takes his seat
in the cars, and "goes on his way rejoic-
ing" "Ahl Squire, glad to see you, but
how in the world did you get up to town
this is your busiest season, is it not Pr
The old man smiles, deep light flashes
in his blue-gIay eyes it pride or
love as he quietly replies, "Yes sir, it
is-but my Mary will attend to all that"
Oh wouldn't you "glory" in that
,Dould.
/ can see no necessity in the world for
ycur troubling yourself about marriage,
buff HARRY THORNTON, that intelligent,
handsome, and successful young planter,
piH keep on coming to consult your Papa
about this or that,-always continuing, by
the way, to terminate his consultation with
a walk, ride, ora tete-a-tete with Papa's
Mary. why then, you needn't be sur
prised, on some fine evening, to hear your
self respectfully solicited" TO become
Mrs. HARRY THORNTON. Then / wish you
to remember that marriage is only ques
ton of ,oiH with you-not a necessity
your good parents are not at all anxions to
get rid of such sweet, sensible, brave, and
child; and you, if you don't
think you have "a call" TO become wife,
have been too well educated to fear the
name of "old maid" But if you love
HARRY. and your will is won. (Which for
his sake, poor fellow, / trust is the case,)
then like an honest, dea- little girl as you
are-having far too much love for your
lover, and too much respect for your sci
to fiirt, Say yes" immediately-and
Heaven bless you both!
FoREsr HoAE. 1858.
Es- The Washington letter writer for the !
III. L.. a. n r..