The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1867-07-11
Farmers Column.
The FRrIner's House and Houses
hold

hood is more certainly determined by
his treatment Of his family, those weak
or beings whose happiness is SO much
affected by his conduct towards them
than by his management Of his farm,
or his business transactions. He is
bound by his relations to them, to pro-
vide for them all the innocent enjoy
, mentS, comforts, conveniencies, aud re-
fined luxuries, that his means win war;
rant
Tile House. - Much Of the happiness
of family depends upon the internal
arrangement Of the house, in which the
female portion spend the greater part
of their time. Generally the pleasant
eat portion of farmers dwelling is the
part from which the family are almost
wholly excluded The parlor occupies
the front part Of the house, facing the
road, the ornamental grotnds, the most
pleasant scenery; while the sittingroom
OF the family Hriag room, is crowded
back to less cheerful portion of the
dwelling
Now, this is all wrong. A farm
house hardly needs a parlor, and if one
is provided, it should never be so loca-
ted as to exclude the living-room from
the fatrest prospect Were We to con-
Struct farm house with a parlor id Il,
we would so arrange it that both the
parlor and sitting room would face the
highway. and be separated by folding
doors. If divided by a hall, we would
have the foldiag-doors between that and
both rooms, or square hall could be
located in tower. .juttlng out in front
between them The folding doors We
would have thrown open a portion Of
every day, that the parlor might be
aired and warmed from the sitting.
room. Who, that has eaer entered ah
ordinary farmers pArlor, opened per-
haps but once a month, or at most;
once week-and kept dark, damp and
musty, during the Intervals, has not
felt an uncomfortable chilliness and
gloom that has greatly diminished the
conversational powers? We presume
farmers visits would be more interest
ing if spent in more cheerful room.
On the sitting-room we would ex-
pend all that our means would Justify;
in making it pleasant, comfortable,
attractive, living room. We would
have high ceilings, large windows, all
substantially and elegantly finished
We would have the walls hung with
really good paintings and engravings,
if able to procure themi if not, we
would adorn them with portraits OF Our
friends Tlie furniture we would have
elegant, Substantial, and useful. The
library we would fill with entertaining
and instructive, rather than snowy
books. The tables we would load with
the best papers and magazines, always
including the best agricultural apd hor-
ticultural literature. Yes, farmers ex-
pend your money and taste upon your
living-room. There your wives and
daughters spend the larger portion Of
their time. There you and your SONS
meet with them to enjoy all the pleas
ures of family intercourse There you
read, talk, and play together-yss, play
tdgetherj for those parents who are too
dignifed to play with their children
to join in their amusements and recre+
ations, are unfit to train them properly.
In this familiar intercourse With your
children, you are establishing the posi-
ton which you will ever sustain to<
wards them, either as friends in whom
they will ever delight to confde, or as
austere, repelling Guardians, You are
at the SAME time assisting them in lay
ing the foundations Of their lifelong
character. There is the place to in
struct, discipline, train up your chill
dren, mould their characters, By pre-
cept, and much more BY example. The
dining-room and kitchen are only of
less Importance. Their leading feature
should be convenience, so as to economize
in labor The sleeping rooms should
be large and easily ventilated, so as not
TO impair the strength acquired during
the waking hours Such we regard as
the most important requirements of the
farmers house. Now as to his
Households labor should be
the law of the farmers household, he
should, as far as he can, guard against
imposing srcesare labor How many
farmers wives are broken down, theiF
constitutions ruined, and their lives rem
dered miserable, by being obliged to-
labor beyond their strength! II often
happens that a woman while raising q
family of children, feeding them, wash
ing, dressing and clothing them, fsss to-
do, besides, the entire work for one or
two coarse, dirty, insolent hired men;
cooking for them, washing, darniHg.
and mending for them, and after al
have to submit to their iIl-mannored
criticisms on Che bill of fare. A farm
er, who is man, will not lay such in
supportable burdens upon his wife or
daughters. If unable to employ good
domesticS, he will endeavor to tighten
the labors of his household as far as
practicable. He will build cottages in which hIs
laborers may live and board themselves oYHl
procure at really labor saving machinery, aud
have his kitchen arranged so conveniently as to
save much labor in that way he Will submit
cheerfnlly 10 occasional reductions of his bill of
fare, when other household labors are lpressing,
and he will now and then lend helping hand to
relieve his wife of The heavier portions Of her
drudgery.
Sometimes mother is too indulgent towards
her daughters, and DIES not require them 70 rem
der her all the assistance they ought. Then he