The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1872-04-12
FARM GOSSIP.

s. Kalloch. editor of the honSds
,Spiyi,-who, by the way, is not only
a practical farmer and stock-raiser. but
one of the finest orators and writers in
the west,-in communication TO his
paper gives some weIl-timcd thoughts
and graphic experience of farmer
boys life. as follows:
"Your farmers all know the difficult
ty of Keeping boys on the farm. just
as soon they are able TO get around for
themselves, they begin TO banker for
the town. A trade or profession
looks to them as something altogether
lovely. The dapper fellows with white
hands and smiling faces who stand be-
hind counters and deal in silks and cal
icoes. seem to them to be an cXhalted
order of human beings. 1t is curious
to speculate upon the ambitions Of
boys and the colorings with which they
invest pursuits or occupations with
which they are not acquainted. When
| was boy il was good deal with me
as il is with boys now. was quite as
much inclined to be IA fool as they are.
| was equally exercised as to my future
calling in life. And / well remember
what al that time seemed TO me the
height of human felicity. Twas work
ing in having on the fai'm of Captain
Glover. One of the grand old stage
roads WHICH preceded the railroads
ran bv the FIELD in which | was work
ing. Bill Crossman was stage driver.
His seat was Il very eXhaltcd one. the
coach being one of the lofty old affairs
with which we are all familiar. He
wore pair oftight-titting pants. strap
ped down snug--one of the cid fashion,
I'D kind that you had to get into after
You had got your boots on. | remeln-
ber those pants and straps, for his legs
wo,e. held in an elevated and conspicu-
Gus position. just to arouse my ambi-
ton mere keenly. He drove four spank
ing horses. And what a snapper there
WAS to that whip! He always gave it
a ringing crack when just opposite
where | was working. and 1t made the
blood tingle clear To my toes: i'll could
ever get TO wear such strapped pants.
and drive four such horses. and crack
such Il whip as that. | should ask no
more. Farming seemed mighty dull
business along side of that.
Ii is my opinion that there is not
fun enough on the farm. Farm life is
too sober and sombre for the boys. 1t
looks to them as if there was more life
and animation about town pursuits :;
and this is their first temptation. And
so the first thing for wise man to do
who wisely wants his boys TO stick to
the farm. Is to try to make the farm at
'r"~tiv =" them. There is a great lack
among our farmers right at this point.
As Il rule. | think they are the most
serious and sober class in the commu-
nifty. They rise early and work hard
and eat the bread of caretulncss, aud
have little time. and perhaps less dis
position. for any fooling or trifling.
The business of earning a living. and
keeping the wolf. from the door. and
making both cnS.s meet. and paving
taxes. is. as most of rs have learned. a
pretty sober affair And il gets 10 bc
particularly so 10 the farmer when corn
and pork are as low. and taxes rs high,
as they are now.
But il bchooycs us to remember that
the Young folks have fortunately not
arrived either II our wears or our cares.
The, are in the elastic period of life:
their nature Graves and clamors tor re-
creation: there is y vast fund of anima-
lion in them that must find vent some
where: and ii no pains are taken 10
provide for This natural want at home
ii will seek il somewhere. lfhonc be-
comes sour and gloomy. and the labor
of the is only u protracted drudgery.
they will both bc abandoned rs soon as
they can be. know the ditlioalty of
presenting any set rules 10 meet the
case. But il is safe TO suggest, in the
first place. that the boys should not be
overworked DO not try to get all YOU
can ont of them, especially If they are
willing to do ali they can. Give them
time and chance TO grow. Let them
train the colts and fondle the calves.
Provide them with dog and gun.
and give them time To indalgc in this
healthy sport. Above all. ill your
home with cheerfulness. Let the chill
dren indulge in games and plays. and
make "a much noise as they want to.
Never be cross or morose to them.
Make Yourself the very best friend they
have in the world.
There was hard work on the farm
when was boy. but there was fun
too. NV grandfather was hborer of
the old school. who bought hundred
acres of Maine woods from Gen. Knox.
our FIRST Secretary of War. and who
with his owH hands had cleared, culii-
waited and il Troyed the farms on Which