The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1873-01-25
Agricultural.
The German Farm Laborer in His
Own Country.

Men who are born and educated III
one country are very apt to see only the
evils about them, and none of the adj
vantages. The following extract from
letter to foreign paper the Scots
man, of Edinburg. viii interest our
readers, as serving to contrast the agri-
cultural laborers OF another country
with those of our own:
A very large proportion of the Ger
man peasantry are indeed in much
better condition than those in Britain
are, or are likely to be, for great part
of the land is possessed and cultivated
by the peasantry themselves. In the
meantime / VIII speak more particular
~ in reference to those known in En-
gland as agricultural laborers, those
that are dependent upon other people
for employment. In many respects they
are far IN advance of the British agricul-
tlrral laborers, alike politically and So
cially. There is here no obnoxious dis
tinctions OF rights and privileges be-
tween country and town. The same
universal suffrage exists in both. But
a right, which he values more than that
of u voice in the national government,
is that of acquiring piece of land OF
his own. He has the disadvantage of a
less thorough edlcation than the urban
workman, but lib duties are also of a
simpler nature Ahd ne always learns
at least to ret---. Write, and cast mp sums,
and to fear God and honor the king ;"
so that his education is equal at least
to the best that is to lie obtained in En-
gland, Scotland, or any average agricul-
tural district In social life the Ger
man laborer's manners are consistent
with his humble station in life lie IS
less skeptical than the native of the
town, and shows great reverence and
respect towards his superiors On
meeting stranger in the public road
he generally lifts his hat and salutes
him with a Gluten morgen, or "a Guten
tag. He still maintains a reverence
/ for the church aud religion, in contra
distinction to the gottlosikeit ego
lessness) of the civic population. and
conducts himself like q God-fearing
man. He eats thessimplest food, and it is
seldom that either beef or mutton come
to his table BY far the greater part Of
the German population being engaged
in agricultural pursuits, the compare
/ lively small consumption of animal
food in Germany to that in England is
thus explained, for, from what ! have
/ seen. the towns people eat quite as
much animal food here as in Britain. II
is notorious fact that the German
peasant. from motives of frugality. sell
( dom tastes animal meat, living almost
entirely upon vegetable food. He, how
ever. in common with the whole race, is
very fond OF coffee. very character
istic strike Of farm laborers was report
ed some time AGO from Bavaria. in an
agricultural newspaper, in which coffee
instead of sour milk to breakfast was
demanded. Their dress - also of
PLAIN nature: but ! have never seen,
either in town or country. a single rag
ged person of either sex of the class,
and on Sundays, If not engaged in work
ing, he comes abroad in very decent and
substantial garments The women.
however. who are largely engaged in
outdoor agricultural work. are, l think,
scarcely so well clad as those engaged
~. the south OF Scotland, similarly en-
pIovgd. Their dresses are generally OF
blue-spotted gingham; as regards
length. made with the greatest view to
economy of cloth and for the larger
part Of Ike year they dispense with
boots and stockings, and wear no other
superhuous encumbrances to the free
use OF their limbs Their dwellings are
of plain brick. but neat and clean, and
almost ALWAYS covered with vines, and
surrounded with neatly-kept gardens,
all showing industry and frugality, and
bearing an air of comparative comfort
about them. Indeed, a more frugal,
saving. industrious, and generally we'll
behaved class of people could not be
found anywhere. They do not taste
spirits. and though, OF course, they
swill considerable quantities of their
famous lager beer, it never seems to
take any effect upon their equilibrium.
The German laborer is, indeed, never
burdened with an over supply of money;
but on account of the large emigration,
the demand for his labor is now great
enough to enable him to make a fair
bargain with his employer; and he, too,
like everybody else in Germany, has
recently had increase to the remunera-
ton for his labor \ farmer IN the
neighborhoodo of Leipsig, who cultivates
land belonging to the town, told me
that he paid his female laborers at the
rate of 10 groschen 1s.) per day, and
his male ones at - groschen NEARLY Is.
2ld.1 This, however, does not seem to
be the ease throughout the whole of
Germany. Wages are not always paid
in money, there being what Is called
.. Natural and Geldlohnung, the
former meaning that, like the kinds and
shepherds IN Scotland, they are partly
paid with other materials. though the
tendency of the present day is toward
the abolishing of this system, and the /
adoption of pure money bargain, and |
this according to the wish OF the en-
plovers and not Of the employed. In |
the old provinces of Prussia there were |
employed or .he two cIasses-namely, /
Gesinde people engaged yearly, who
live in the employers establishment /
and Taglohmen Cthose engaged for short
periods, and paid st so much day, but
living entirely apart from the premises
of the employer.
Broken Wind.
Broken wind can hardly be mistaken
the cough accompanying it conveys
peculiar sound; it is short and vibrates
within. The breathing is hurried in |