Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-10-01
farm ano 6oussbolO.
Farmers BOYS.

on 1t. they work under protest. Average
farmers are only vexed at this perversity.
They set i: down TO the degeneracy OF the
times. Boys a-days are so afraid Of
little hard work,-they despise home
spun, and want TO dress finer every day
than their fathers used to on Sundays"
They are sarcastic, and fault finding
enough, but their arguments are not very
powerful persussiyes in inducing the boy
to change his mind. II has been done,
however, very efiectually in quite another
way. Some of the miserable drudgery of
farm work, which all dislike, was shifted
of on to the hired man. instead of giving
it all 10 the boys. lie helped to turn the
grindstone at times, and clean the pens.
aud pamp out the cistern when Ii needed
cleaning. They were given a incoming as
well as the men. and not expected to lin
when so tired they could hardly drag their
feet after them. They were not jecred
about spring fever" when they rose up
reluctantly TO go on an errand of half a
mile amer hard days work. Unless in a
ease OF great emergency they were not
sent out when they needed rest.
Their fathers went a step further than
this.-they gave them share in the profits
Of something. Either il was a garden spot
to cultivate. or dozen chickens to raise,
or likely calf to bring up by hand, always
taking care TO deal justly and keep to his
word WREN the time TO realize something
on the article came around. | have seen
too much of the system of Johns calf
but fathers COW" practiced among farm
ers. IL j. about the poorest paying invest
ment, however. that the farmer ever
makes. IL alienates the child's heart from
home and parent. and fills ii with resent
ment At the injustice done. II undermines
biz faith in his fathers word and sours him
generally. Keep your promises and deal
justly with your child. to the very last
penny. if you wish him TO grow up an
honest, truthful man.
Ii is surprising what a spring it gives to
all the powers, TO have the element OF self
interest introduced into all the work. An
invalid was directed to try gardening for
time every day. as a medicine. He tried
il one season hn; derived no henetit f-o..
il. The next year he was told 10 try il
again for "a share in the profits That
year he gained rapidly and became in
time a sound man,-his mind was inter-
ested. Get your boys mind wide awake
on the subject of the growth of his melons
and onions, and you will have no reason
10 complain that they are not well Guilt
waited. Ifyou have a narrow soul that
grudges your boy his hard-earned dollars,
then he does right TO leave you when he
comes Of age, if only in self-deience. Il
Ae stays he may grow like you, which
would be worse calamity than losing his
right hand.
\ farmer near my former home encour
aged all hi2 boys and girls TO have som,
little projected enterprise of their owl
always on hand. Even the little ones had
their hills Of pop corn, which they Learned
TO cultivate. and when the grain was driet
il was shelled by their own hands and ther
popped and stored in bags, ready wheI
the market wagon went TO the city. Ever,
week the farmer drove his market Wagon
into Philadelphia, and whatever the chill
dren had to sell was disposed of TO tho
best advantage. and the money carefully
counted out to them on his return. You
will hardly find thrift tier. happier, NOR,
Intelligent farmers family. Zach had al
interest OF his own. yet all worked toge,he
most tremendously. With their combined
savings. and a little help from mother
they bought a nice melodeon, on which
the boys learned to play as well as tn,
girls. The value OF such possession il
refining and elevating a family of children
cannot be estimated in dollars and cents
Il vas the aim of the whole household 4
make bone pleasant. and farm life was I,
them the most delightful in the world
There is little probability of their son
going into some other business as the,
grow up. They have found farming to-
pleasant, profitable and healthful to tax
their chances at something else abou
which they knew nothing.
Make the farm house pleasant; plan
trees about it in abundance, ornament a.
as well as fruit trees. Oh, those bleak
bare, red painted houses. clustering
the sun, which We see dotting so man
wide farms. are disgrace to the LAND
No wonder that we find within
'Shrill querulous women sour and sulIen mer
Uniidy and old before their time,
With scarce o human interest save their own
Monotonous round Of small economies,
Or the poor scandal of the neighborhoodo
Don't let the children's minds be nal
rowed down to the petty concerns of thei
small world, but give them books and goo
newspapers in abundance, which shan ful
nish bright outlook to the great. bean
ing world which lies beyond and aroun
them. SO near and yet 50 far away, with
out this medium of communication with il
A home without newspapers is almost q
cherries as a home without windows.
While you make it rule that the boy
shall not lounge around stores and saloon
in the evening. be sure if useful entel
talnment. like an elevating concert, in
structive panorama or lecture comes {
your village, to give all chance to attend
scrape up the money somehow, II 20
hurry of pair of fat chickens to marks
TO get it. Farmers folks have the leas
excuse of any for denying their childre
these advantages, for they are great %
vantages in many respects, and not tn
least among them b the happiness the
afford and the store Of pleasant memorie
they lay up. Oh what ''penny wise
policy it is to grudge them the money 70
these sinple eajoynsnts. -