Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-17
For the VERMONT FARMER.
Letters from the Country. No. l,

Ia tne lAte agricultural meeting nelu III
this place. one of the delighted listeners
found his thoughts sometimes switching of
the track of the discussions and taking An-
other line, not opposite but after short turn
parallel with the others. docs farming
pay" seemed the key note Of most Of the pa
pers. Leaving the discussion Of this pecu-
mary point to those more able to decide,
hope to be pardoned for taking another point
Of view.
1t must be confessed we must have base
for our houses, calling, business and a
home in order to live in comfort at oil. But
the question is somewhat broader aud deeper.
How to live honestly, aud with honor aud
usefulness How to get the most Of innocent
happiness out of our short lives, while We
get ready for the higher one? This was the
course where my thoughts switched of the
track.
Is the farmers business favorable TO hon.
esty This is generally conceded point,
Out now hDOut ueutat improvement W.
notice in our own town not less than eight
cen or twenty young people are sent up to
the normal school this winter in order to
supplement their common school education.
Many Of them return to us as teachers.
Some will 60 up higher. The farmers do af-
ford to educate their children. In casting
thought back few years, one finds farmers
children (now men) in positions Of usefulness
and honor in several states. One a physi-
clan, one a publisher, one an artist, one a
superintendent Of health in city, several
ere officers in the late war-all honorable
men-not black sheep to be found among
the absent ones. They will not all turn out
farmers. That is not to be expected, but
the education they get on the old farm and in
the old schoolhouse has 30 sharpened their
wits and sobered their judgment, that when
the occasion and the work comes to them,
they are equal to 1t. There are not quite
farms enough for them all, but those who
remain with us are a credit to their
calling. Necessity compels them to be wide
awake the year round. Our poor house, to
be sure, is in a bad way, One old lady
hires her board there because she finds sin
it home" But the regulars are less than
dozen, and every year growing less. We
have neither lawyer nor physician, but then
few people are sick, and very few 60 to law.
AS for neighbors why, no one but farmer
can understand what neighbors mean. To
us the word has ring to it. Now it is q
bee to get up wood for poor widow; now
frolic called sewing bee to help some
family of children to make up their winter
sewing now a turn and turn for watching
where man lies helpless for six months
now funeral with the usual well.meant Of
fciousness Of profered sympathy and help
now a wedding with all its gOOd-nature(
Jokes and fun; now an anniversary will
small presents and good wishes; now board
meeting which ranks only just less than Ou
centennial, and was the greatest event Of th'
a winter. All these incidents seem fresh an,
new to US, because we have not WORKOUT ou
tastes for simple and natural engagement
by dissipation, but as farming is an homes
8 calling, and favorable to mental growth.
r propose (f your patience holds out) to nc
tice hereafter some other advantages Of thi
particular business IL. V.
TDoes not our correspondent state the cal
rather strongly when she says "'Does farm
ing pay seemed to be the key note of mo
le OF the papers"2 Col. Mead toe
y anything but meroenary view
l. "The opportunities for young farmer
IL in his very eloquent address.
ut "Leavcs" Prof. Seely drew for us a pictur
ne in chaste colors, of one of the most refuiI
ut influences of the operation Of natures Law
Mt which the farmer has special opportunities
10 study and enjoy, Mrs Whippe gave us
to choicest dictiOn, simple and well consider
he directions for a work calculated to lift
ID, our precious WOluuuhluu Ouh W hhO "So
1t. routine of housework aud dairying, ia b
i'll fine paper on "WindOw gardening" N
Ir. Wood showed us what variety OF reRn
th pleasures may be found to vary the monotO
,ct of farm life "Iu DOORS" And Mr.. V
70. pointed out to us in his we'll turned periO
the great truth to make man, not
zel farmer, is the Office of education" VIII
IN. Mr. Stafford opened the blinds on the sun
Iut side Of farm life, in his paper on "Fa
ich Buildings" Though Capt. French took
lth economic view of the subject Of "Piscic
an ture as related to farming" his sentime
hat were clothed in such flushed rhetoric h
in one, at least, of his hearers, found him
hat charmed, and forgot for time, that a.
all tiOn of material prosperity of the farmer
Ood under consideration. True there was pie
live Of hard common sense and practical talk
, a raising corn and grass, feeding meal, sell
sat ing COWS and making butter, sheep husban
ght and feeding sheep for market, besides 81