Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-09-10
For the vERnouT FAanrn.
A Few Thoughts.

have been greatly entertained, from
time to time, by articles in the literary
department Of the FARMER, 10 reference to
dress, womans rights aud other topics Of inter-
est and l would like TO add my mite 10 the
opinions Of the many. My thoughts are
very crude, and this is the first attempt to
clothe them in language for publication.
We are now aud then treated 10 long
article upon Dress and some condemn every.
thing but the plainest, darkest clothing. |
do Dot know but some would institute dress
as uniform In tint as the Black nuns or
the various notifications OF the sisterhood
one meets in large cities, but they all have
a sepulchral look to me, and the day seems
brighter after they have disappeared. They
ell lead life Of self.sacri6ce, and have no
homes to make cheerful aud pleasant re.
member reading a magazine article during
the late war, a communication from hos
pital nurse, and she gave an account Of
poor soldier lad. Homesickness had broken
his bodily aud mental health. As he lay
one day poor wreck upon his couch,
nurse appeared in fresh, light dress. "Please
Miss" said he, addressing the author of the
article, twill you ask that lady to walk where
l can see her ; she is dressed 80 nicely" The
lady did as he desired, and assured her
readers that she took hint from the circum-
stance to dress in q cheerful fashion whom
attending the sick. When have read some
of the articles respecting light prints, it has
reminded me Of the old lady 10 the crockery
store where the clerk presented her with a
white one when she inquired for pitcher.
"La, Mister, don't want that it will show
dirt so easy" Some one says, "a woman
who will not dress becomingly is to blame"
There is now and then person with taste
so cultivated and refined that person dressed
in bad taste, or rooms furnished without any
reference to harmony OF colors, strikes them
as unpleasantly as q dscord 10 music to a
person with cultivated musical ear. We
all, doubtless, have friends who have their
faults, Some have bad manners others are
untidy, or dress unbecomingly others use the
weed and, while we admire their peculiar
gifts OF mind and heart, we cannot but wish
they were different in these respects. We
read great deal about mothers expendiug
so much time upon the wearing apparel Of
children, and some say the sewing machine
is not the help it might be, but only new
minister to love Of dress and display. Now,
it seems to me that some people have not the
industry, skill and patience, to fashion these
beautiful garments and lear too many moth.
ers spend their time far worse. sensation
novels, imbibiug false ideas Of life and their
children are neglected and their minds as i'll
formed as their clothing is awkard. We all
know that grace is a natural gift and child
growing up in retired place with no one to
comment upon its appearance, has an un-
coucious grace, IL graceful, that no art can
fashion. But let child become sensible Of
wearing awkward garments, by contrast with
others, aud how soon it acquires a sensitive
air, hitch in the shoulders doubling
glance aud n difident step that no after
training can entirely obviate. could write a
great deal upon this subject, and think many
mothers experience true pleasure in fash
ionng garments for beloved ch,ldreu--these
beautiful human flowers. Nature is dressed
in beauty, the canopy Of heaven Is rich with
beauty, aud why should not our apparel be
an index Of our minds. Why should we not
dress becomingly?
L might say something about the stronger
sex. We have read of handles III broadcIoth,
and tina. our girls prefer them TO the young
farmers; and do not konw as they are to be
blamed. for some are as rough in speech and
manner as their dress would indicate. A
farmers work during portion OF the year is
heater than some other callings; for instance,
the harness and shoemaker's, blacksmiths,
and grooer's clerks. Then why not appear
in neat attire To me the ne Plus ultra is
a handsome farmer in having aud harvest
ing in suit of linen, and Palmetto hat.
A neat substantial suit of gray full-oloth aud
high topped boots for the remaining portion
of the year, with frock and overalls for
milking and extra dirty work, to be removed
when this sort of work is done, and he il
presentable in any young ady's sitting room
a week day evening to say nothing of the
broadcIoth 10 the parlor Of Sunday Eight.
More anon. ERNEsTINR.