Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-10-21

4al ~ A4OAL W. =IOO<S
their labors, and their cares. But our
American farms are islands, separated by
seas Of forest and fencing. and our farmers,
their families, and lsbursrs. rareiy see those
living q mile or two away, sase when they
pass in the road, OF meet Oh Sunday in
church. This isolation has many disadvant-
ages, prominent among which are the OBJ
| stacles it interposes to tho adoption of im.
proved processes and happy susgsstions-
As "iron sharpeneth iron," so the simple
coming together of neighbors and friends
hrightens their i1teilec,s and accelerates
the process of thinking. The farmer not
merely profits BY the narrations of this
neighbors' experience and experiments in
this or that field Of Production--he gains
quite as much BY the stimulus given to his
desire FOR improvement as by the facilities
afforded for gratifying that desire. Il is
well that he should be enabled 20 share the
benefits Of others observations ard eehisve-
ments; il is even better that he should be
incited to observe sad schisvs for himself.
But; more than ell else, lit 10 important
that he should now and then be lifted out
Of the dull routine of blowing, tilling and
reaPing--thst he should be reminded that
"the life is more than meat" and that the
growing of grain and grass, the scquisition
of aoeks and herds, are means Of living,
not the ends of life. Especially 10 il i'm.
Portant to give more social, frG;ernal, in
telieetual aspect to our rural economyt in
view Of the needs and cravings Of the rising
generation, who, educstsd too little 20 anjoy
solitude and their own thoughts, too much
to endure the life Of oxen. are heiDg ud-
fitted by their. very requirements of the
rural existence which satisfied their less in
tellectua!, less cultivated eraudfattsrs. Il
is he most melsnchely feature for our ores
ent social CONDITION. that very few of cur
bright, active, inquiring. intellectual youth
are satisfied to grow up and settle dowa
farmers. After all the eloquence of poetry
that have been layished upon The fasmer's
vocation, its Independence, its security, its
dignity. its quiet, its happiness-thefs are
not many decidedly clever youth, even Id
the households of farmers, who are delisef.
ately choosing the farmers calling ss pre-
ferable TO all others. Hundreds drift or
settle into Agriculture because they can
not acquire 9 professional train ing, or be-
cause they hate to study, or because they
cannot get trusted for stock of goods, or
for some one Of hundred other such rea.
sons; very few because they decidedly pre-
far -
advertise in tbs same psper tomorrow
for clerk ii q store and for man to work
farm, the wsges in each case being the
samej and you will have twenty applies.
tions 70. the former place to one fet ths
latter. This fact argues grave error
somewhere; and. "a I don't belieys IL is in
human nature, nor in that Psovideutisi ne
cess ity which requires most Of ts TO b.
farnets, must believe II is 10 be detected
in the arrangement and conditions under
which farm labor 10 performed. We must
study out the defect and amend it. Whsn
the rural neighborhood shall have beeoms
more social, and the farmers home more ia
tellectual--when the best bcots md peri
odicals, not oaly Agricultural 5ut othefs
also, shall be found on bis evening tsbi<,
add his hirsd men be invited to profit sy
them-the general repugnsnce Of intellect.
usi youth to farming viii gradually dissp.
pear .-7 zrs -f--e.-s 90 -.
TX Nor can refrain from ;nsistinr os
the beautifying of the farmers homestead
as one of the most needed reforms. in ouf
Agricultural economy. We Americans, O.
a people, do less to render our homes q.
traetive than any other people on ssasl
means on earth, And for this thsrs 10 very
much excuse. We are '.roifine stouss,"a
which have not yet found tims to gashSr say
very graceful mess. We are on our march
from Western Europe to the shores Of The
Pacific, and have halted from time 10 tins
by the way. but not yet settled. That
sacred and tender attachment to Home
which pervades all other humap breasts hss
but slender hold upon Us. Thete are nos
many OF US who would not sell. the house
over his own head, if he were offered good
price for il. Not ons-fomth of % nov
live in the houses in which we were bsra:
not half of Us confidently expect to die in
the homes we now occupy. Hencs We can.
not 5s expected TO plant trees, and tsaia
vines. and set fowsring shrubs, - We might
do. il we had. in the proper dense Of tAs
word, Homes. ss,s-s- sE ss ,sa'y-.r-
But NO ought 10 have Homes-we ought
TO resolve 10 have them som. / would cay
to every head OF q iariy whatever else
you may do or forbs,r 10 DO. select your
home forthwith and resolve to abide By il.
Let your next move, L move you must, bs
inaex:bly your last. would say to our
youth: never marry, never 6x upon any
place Of abode Or occupation. until you
shalt hcve selected your home. II yoa VIII
have it in Oregon or Csfforfia 90 be il; but
ix it somewhere. and so soow a. may beat
least before you torn any other ties that
promise to be enduring. Though il be but
a hut on patch sof earth, let il bs yeas
fixed home esermore, snd begin a once to
improve and beautify Il id every hour thai
can be spared from more pressing s,ocstions
and needful repose. So shall your later
years be calm, and tranqaiL--so shah yos re.
alize and diffuse the blessednsss which in
heres in ths, sacred temple, Home
The one great point Of superiority sn-
joyed by our countrymsn over their cousias
in Western Europe. 10 the facility where
with every American who is honest. in
dustriou and sober, may acquire. il be does
not already possess, q hemestsaS Of his
own-not q iessehola from soms great
capitalist or feudal bsr0n, but spot Of sssth