The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-06-17
TFrom the Independent Repu blican. J /
A Farmers Life Pleasant.

Der belonging to farmers families that
are continually finding fault with Gathers
business" as very dull, dirty, and any
thing but desirable or remunerative The
girls from the country "hasten to depart.
The boys, as an old man used to say, seem
infected with the RUNAWAY disposition"
and next turn up in some city doing much
worse than they were at home. There is
something wrong somewhere, in connec-
tien with the management Of any farm
where the charms that surround the child
are not sufficient strong to bind each
member of the household, as with a chain,
to the cold house at home" All persons,
whether old or young, rich or poor, are
not without their perplezities but the
nearest approach to Eden is 10 oe found
on the well conducted farm The farmer
need not have his employ ymept seem dull
or uninteresting to himself or his family
if the proper course is pursued. The
boys and girls can be led to see, by the
parents help, something interesting in
almost everything they behold each ami
NAL and fowl, from the chirping chicken
to the. staid sober OK And every imple-
ment from the hoe to the moving ma
chine should claim their attention, they
being taught how it was manufactured,
its cost, its use; and how to manage and
take care of it.. In almost every instance
where discomfort is discovered, the chill
dren are led TO regard all labor performed
under direction in the lightof a task
This should never be taught, either by
word or action. Every pportunity should
be embraced to allow the young farmer
treat by way Of seeing or hearing some
thing that will be interesting and profit
ables 1t must needs be that to the un-
accustomed, labor will seem irksome, es.
peeially the first lessons, hence the ne
cessity on the part of the parent or the
person taking the lead, of making an eff,
fort to relieve it Of its seeming tedium as
far as possible Some persons are the
unknown members Of society fatal to
rural happiness by means of an almost
unittermitting stream of prating aud
growing about dirt, hard work, slavery,
&c, until the once prosperous agrIcultur-
ist makes up his mind tnat to relieve
himself Of such TRADE of abuse, he will
do almost anything, and as last resort,
leaves the beautiful farm, (perhaps the
old homestead sells at sacrifice, and
launches his little financial boat in 2
strange stream and owing to his lack Of
experience and discipline, ten chances to
one that he don't make a wreck of all on
some rock or shoal, never to relaunch.
A man needs "farmer" for his wife in
order to succeed for it is anything but
agreeable or remuneratlve to nave, bet /
ter half dissatisfied with ones occupation.
If he has a good wife, a good farm, and
adaptation to his business, success is
almost certain.
The offence which the uncleanliness of
farming gives to the housewife, as all eady
referred to, is false and untenable If con-
trasted with many kinds of mechanical
mork, mining and many ether kinds ofI
employment. In the family, what can be
more desirable than the farm, for health
and development of body and mind
Nearly all of our best business men, and
ablest statesmen, diyln9s, and professional
men, are farmers sons. Where does the
care-worn merchant, lawyer, or physician
repair. but to the fathers farm in the
country? What is more usual than that
the invalid receives an invitation from
some Uncle or Aunt to come to their ag-
ricultural domain p They may be certain
that their physician will approve, if he
did not plan the invitation. 1t is mis-
taken idea that man will succeed IN
any business, whether mechanical Or
professional, without knowledge of
that business. Some have vainly sup
posed that any one could be former,
whether they knew how or not and not
unfrequently do We see parents send Will
liam, John, or James to school for months
and perhaps years, that they may be ed
ucated for some important position in life,
while Thomas is left to work on the farm,
as that is to be his occupation, conse
queutly no education is requisite. This
is altogether as it should not be. Edu-
cate all four SOUS with reference to their
future employment. If a man offers his
services to you as a carpenter and joiner,
the reasonable conclusion Is that he is
master of the trade; SO of all other trades.
Some persons are as Ignorant of agricul-
ture as a certain farmers wife is said to
have been. Whenthe hired man, in the
absence of her husband, came to her for
advice, having unfortunately broken the
pillow, she in her verdancy replied, "can't
you take the cart 2"
We care but little how a man learns the
trade, Ger farming is trade,) and be-
comes master workman, whether by the
aid of hooks or hv actna exnnriment