The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-03-04
COPY OF LETTER MAnKrn Sc"
The Poetry Of Farming.
ny TX. MARVEL.

During the moro leisure period Of winter the
practical mind OF the. farmer will gravtate more
easily towards mechanical employments than
towards those which are intellectual. He will
hate his agricultural journal and Others, may
be, to. the reading OF which he will bring o
ripe and hardy judgment. But his thouehts
will be more among his cattle and his bins than
among books, "lfe cannot get wisdom that
glorieth In the goad, and that driycth oxsn:.
There may be spice VI, ,exaggeration in the
dogma OF Eccesiasticus; but whoever under.
takes the profession or working. farmer must
accept its fstigues and engrossments, and hon-
or them rs he eau. II Il n busindss that viii
not be haiyed. Vulcan can make no Ganymtde
--strain as he will. Tho horny hsnds, the tired
body, the hay. dust aud the scent Of the stables,
are inevitable. The hne young fellow. Aush
with Johnstou's Elements, and buoyAnt With
Thon,son's Seasons, may rebel at this vicv, OF
the case; but let him take three hours In hay
feldof AugIist-behindn . revolver, lrake) With
the reins over his neck, the land being lumpy.,
aud the colt dipping foot over the traces At
the end Of every "bout." and I think he Will
have sweaty confirmation Of its general truth,
Or let him try day at the tall OF Michigan
pillow, In . why and dusty last years stub
Bile; the horses are fresh and well trained, and
ly ut first, bat presently m ugly stone hings IL
clean from the furrow. and there 10 . backing
IA heavy tug. and on h" goes, With his mind,
all centered on the p.ow.hrsm, and ncrvous-
iy watches It's little pitches aud yaws; he lifis d
hand cautiously to wipe the perspirstion frpm,
bis forehead, n great inprudence) and the
pillow shecrs over gracefully, and 10 OUT once
more. There Is new backing and strainin:,
AMI the plow Is again In place; no more wiping
of the forehead untilths hesdlands are reseheda
watery blisters are rising fast on his hands,
and pebble In his shoe 10 pressing fssrfnlly
on buuion; but at the headland he hnds tom
porary relief, and . small can OF weak barley.
w,,er. Refreshed by this. but somewhat shsky
In the legs. he pushes on with zeal-possihlyi
thinking Of Burns. and how be walked iu gls-
ry and In JOY. s'
=, M sB,b,aa NJ, p,ov. Iam.isei ci; sgri
......f .f Upon the nountain sids.vr .rr a6ry
-and wondering n he. really did There are,
no "wce-tipped" daisies to beguile him |; not q
mouse Is strri'Ig; only . pcstilent rnoslui''s'
twanging somewhere behind his loft ear. and n
fine aromatic powder rise, from the dusty stub.
bio and tickles his nUstfils. SO he comes tothe
headland once moro and the can; II he had ~
copy of Burns In his pocket II might be pleas
ant for the young fellow to lic OF under tho
shade for u while and Improve his minl'i
But he has no Burns--in fact, no pocket IN his
oyeralls; besides which, the season Is set.itg
latp; he mus, finish his aoro Of piowing. Over
aud over he eyes the suuI i y very slow IN
getting to its height. and when noon CONES
4 6nds him ia very drsggled and witty stais,r
but he mounts one Of tbs horses, and the mSts
cIsttering after, he leads u to the barn and
the hating. He has sharp appetite Tor the
heat and the grcons, but not much at tho nvun-
loo for Burns or. Bishop Duiler. The return
10 the field hsunts him; but the work q only
half done, Rubbipg. his puffy hsuds with a.
brsvely upon q new shout" Of the blowing
The son 10 even. more scorrhipg than in tSs
morning. The mosquitoes have come In fock,;
the bunion, aggravated by the morninr : pebhl,'a
angcri him sorely and dcstroys all his cont. =
dence In the commentator, on Burns.
Az night, more draggled and wlited than At
noon, lie turns out his team, md, n hs rne,nSo
systematic farm-sork. will give the horses o
ehsrlshss .clsanly prejadicss, The ane yousgs
himself. This rsfreshes and gives courage for
Is by NO means amusing. Again tAs appetite i:o
cold greens. Thereupon Pat. the Irish la sits
upon the doorstep ,aad rumlsatcs---with p
short. black pipc In bis mouth. Our draggled
youur friend aims at something better, IL is
YEARLY done. but at least the show shall be-
n,,,is The candle IL lighted aud book IL
nuIisi do vn-possibiy Prof Johnston On Pcafs;
H. miller dart into the .hsme {; psais snd hy.u
H., tss and oxides, and peats ngsip, mlx strspgt-
ivs horoci beetle dashss st his Forehead, and
nshes him wakeful Tor . moment; there 10 %
iror dfoning In the nearest pond very. .drowsly
-s'pcits -pcsts-pcats;" the drift VI the pro-