Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-07-05
California GoSsip.---NO. 5,

Does Kansas fever still prevail among
your farmers? | have read with much in
terest yoIr wide-awake correspondence
from that state-also from Oregon, and if
I were II danger of falling in love with
either it would certainly be with Oregon.
No reader Of the Tribune can have for
gotten those charming Letters from Next
Door" written last fall by Mrs. L. G. Cal
houn while travelling with the Colfax par
ty.
Her descriptions Of the wonderful see
nerr along the Willamette and Columbia
Rivers are enough TO make one wild TO 60
there while the matter-of-fact assertions
OF your "MuInomah' are equally pursua-
sive to those who squirt at tie bread and
butter value of state.
If there were some modern magic like
"Alladin's Wonderful Lamp" whereby
your uneasy farmers might be transported
and safely set down with their good ''home
notions all unspoiled, and then if they
would keep right on in the good home
ways the result would doubtless be grand.
But unfortunately our railroad magic is
not quick CROUCH and they are sure to get
spoiled on the way - completely upset
with Land on the brain" The continent
seems so big-western pEairies give man
comfortable sHor-roola, and the Vermont
farm suddenly dwindles to mere garden
patch.
All a man hath, yea, more than he hath
will he put into land, then put wife and
children into a rough shanty, tell them it
is "All right-good As the neighbors have
got" and then he will 20 riding around
looking for more land. Schools and
churches are miles away from this "mon-
arch ofall he surveys and the wife of the
monarch goes hungry for human symTa-
thy and companionship. Her heart aches
for the old home with its snug comforts,
its handy filings, its dear association with
familiar faces and scenes; and to keep her
children from becoming more and more
like their coarse surroundings-wha up
hill work it is with no helping social infu-
ences such IS made her own young days
so pleasant. Mind, don't say they will
all make tbs mistake There is now and
then a man now and then woman too
with sufficient self-reliance to resist pre-
vailing fashion il he sees 1t is a mean one
Then there is perhaps one farmer in hun
dred who can really manage a big farm
making it reasonably profitable, and rea
sonably pleasant for his family-instead o
a great scrambling failure.
But you ought to hear Mr.. NJ. of St
Johnsbury warm up" this topic, He i:
now making his first visit in California
but frequent travel in the Western State
has made him familiar with the people anC
their modes of life. His seventy-two bus!
years have gathered and ripened such eX
perience as gives wonderful emphasis Il
his expressions of opinion.
"Why, sir. I would not live there anc
lie as they do for all the land they hav
: got. Several years ago A. B. sold goot
farm and nice. pretty home as you will of
ten see and went West with wife, children
and $1,000. Every dollar went into land
and his folks into little cabin that de
cent New England farmer would scorn 70
pig-pen. There we found them, sir
poverty you would have said-no
enough dishes to set a table, hardly an
; furniture, bedding or clothing to speak q
J.. ragged as so many beggars. The boy
| had grown up lazy, loutish, good for moth
ing but to ride around and shoot prairi
chickens Their mother was the most ia
ded, distressed looking woman you eve
saw. Discouraged, broken-down -
; woman can't forget so easily; but it beat
: all how soon Eastern men lose the benef
: of their early training and fall into slacl
t wasteful habits.
n Seems to prove that we go down muc
q easier than we come up in the scale of civ
, ilization. What will ever start them 0
the right track? Small farms again. tt
same rich tract that now supports but or
- family is ample for dozen-that will brir
= them near enough to be sociabie, impro'
e each other and have school for their chi
n dren. If man has moderate allowan,
IS of land the chances are that he will go
work, make living and something beside
!. But let him own two or three square mil
! of country, with no capital to carry it OF
o it makes him leg-weary even to walk aero
- it. So he begins to ride, and the more
. rides the more he believes that he couldr
{ make much show among so many acres
q he tried-so he dOn'ttry. Raises some cor
n a few hogs and cattle; but for real snu
II comfortable farming you'd see more
L. Caledonia Co. according to my notion
IS Than in some whole Western State"
n Mr.. NJ. has now gone to Yo Semitic a.
:, L suspect when he returns will not be rea
to swap" Caledonia Co. for the whole
. terror valley of California which at Il
p time of a dry year looks like great des
IS with occasional irrigated gardens for oas