Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-10-17

MUCu has been said and written about
the loneliness Of farming life in America,
and while we concede that it is not always
the most charming phase of enjoyable
society, still il has its bright as well as
dark side. 1t certainly cannot be eX-
pocted that Il people like ours which pre-
fer to spread themselves .over whole
continent, when in numbers they are not
sufficient to cultivate dozen States, can
DC very social in disposition, or care much
about each others society. 1t will not
do however, as some writers have of late,
to draw comparisons between our people
and any nation of the Old World. The
ideas and habits which had their origin in
the old feudal days, Wien the tillers of
the soil had to work together in large
numbers for self-protection against their
greedy and H'arlike neighbors, still linger
in the minds of European agrCulturists,
and the Old habit of meeting in the tap
room TO hear the news and talk it over is
srill the custom in many parts of the Old
World. AS a general rule, our wealthy
farmers in the older States take one or
more newspapers, and through these find
ont what is going on in the world at
large hence there is no necessity for
sttNliH amor tlutIbn ttHtN htIC,
In no other country DO farmers hold so
high position in society as in the United
states, and his opportunities for advance.
meut, financially and Intellectually, are
unsurpassed; still we are inclined TO be-
lieye that the attractions of farm life are
far below what they might be if farmers
would use their brains more and hands
less. Our young married people when
they start out in life upon a farm are
usually very ambitious. and their whole
aim is the accumulation Of property, and
while this In degree is COmmendable,
still if carried too far it inCapacitates the
possesSor for enjoyment in any of the
higher walks Of life. Early TO bed and
early to rise, with no time for pleasure
will make a fool OF any man or woman,
and We find many among our farmers
who have rraclised this until they are
now little more than walking machines
and is it any wonder that their sons and
dau-hters leavChome the first opportunity?
Is il any wonder that such people become
stoics Or religious fanatics, denying their
children even reasonable social pleasures
There is no good reason Why farm life in
America should be lonesome one, even
in isolation, BECAUSE cheap newspapers
and cheap postage 81 luld bring the world
without into every household
Man has natural love for mother
earth, and the boy who is driven from
the farm into The city IL very likely to 90
back to the ola homestead or upon some
rural spot in the country as the gray
hairs begin to appear, and we notice tina,
such men become better farmers than
their fathers and their city experience
seems 10 help them to conduct their bust
ness with more intelligence, perhaps
owing 70 the course Of study pursued re.
latinC to scientific farming We know il
is quite the fashion to hurl slurs at city
farmers who sometimes talk on the sub.
ject, which they have perfect right to
do, inasmuch IS they are honorable grad.
yates from that high calling
Whenever these city farmers return to
the farm in the 2uutry you will seldom
find anything in the surroundings or
within the dwelling that looks lonesome,
simply because their knowledge of ma.
ture, gathered from books though it be,
crops out here, there, and everywhere.
Flowers bloom in the garden, and in every
nook and corner you viii see marks of
intelligence by inc many little devices