The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1860-02-09
SELECT MiSCELLRKY
4 letter worth Eaeading.

The following letter from Mr. John
Smith, a well-to-do and respectable farmer,
appears in the Newark Daily AclrertiScr,
and may be proftably read by all who feel
an interest to the social and intellectual
training OF the rising generation:
-N-. Editor Il am farmer and so was
my father before me. have not followed
in his footsteps in the way of managing the
farm, because | have taken Agricultural
papers, and have learned much that was
not his to know; and what's more, the
railroad has come within three miles of
me, so that the old farm which my father
titled so many years is worth five times
what it was in his day. | am not one of
the kind of men who croak and grumble
about old times. | enjoy modern times,
and would not give up my machines, and
20 back to the old ways Of doing things
by hand, for any money. l often wonder
il my father can look down from Heaven
and see the mowers and reapers fly over
the old places where he toiled and sweat.
cannot help chuckling to myself, as sit
in my sulkey and ride over the old familiar
places; cutting down the grass, and raking
it up again like half dozen men; to think
my boys can 90 to school all the year
round, and never need suffer from the
want of learning, as do even othis day.
My wife is up to the times, too, and
likes to give her family good chance in
the world. She is good manager, rising
early, and rising to some purpose. l owe
hall OF my prosperity to her help and
counsel. My boys are growing up healthy,
sensible young fellows. The two oldest
harness up the old mare and 90 to the
Academy three miles off, and excepting
little while during hay and harvest they
do not lose a day all the year round. The
only thing that troubles me is my daught-
ers. Ndncy, the Oldest, is Il fine, hand
some, smart girl of nineteen. She went
to the district school till she was sixteen,
and then she had learned all there was to
learn there. SO we concluded to send her
to Mrs. brakes Seminary, about fifty miles
off She did get along amazingly. In
two years she had learned a pile, and be-
sides had painted beautiful pictures enough
to cover our parlor walls (though L must
confess l suspect her teacher gave her a
lift now and them She could sing equal
to the parsons wife, and can set the tunes
in meeting when the squire's away. She
knew the French for everything around
the house, and understood botany, chemist
ry, and natural philosophy, and more
| things than | can mention.
While she was at Mrs. brakes she only
came home at fall and spring vacations,
and then was 50 busy sewing and getting
! ready to 90 back again that her mother
did not think it worth while to set her tc
work. Well, last spring she came home
for coed, aud a joyful day it was to me
felt happy to think had daughter
who had good education in her head, and
spry healthy hands to work. But Mr.
Editor, she is spo,led girl, for aught L car
see. but her mother thinks she will come
to after while.
She can't bear to see me in my shirt
! sleeves, no matter how clean and white
but insists upon my wearing linen dus
ter; for she has learned that at is disgust
ing to cat with man in his shirt sleeves
So she is right-down ashamed of he
mothers hands, because they show tina
she has been hard working woman al
her life. Our homemade striped carpet
that have always been my prize, sre "no'