Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-03-23
Our Ideal Realized.


lovely winter morning, from farmhouse
most cbarmingly situated we'll up the slope
on the sunny side Of bill in one Of the towns
Of our state. In company with some friends
We had gone to make "call," look over the |
stock, taste their apples, have a few minutes
chat and goodbye" Yes, thore in that
Vermont farmhouse we found our long.
ooked-for "ideal farmers daughter" aud
the beauty Of il was, she was all unconscious
Of the fact She was a yousg woman quietly
spending the winter at the old homestead in
the most sensible manner possible. Besides
aiding her widowed mother in the care and
work of tho house, making "gilt.edged" but
ter-a churning Of cream stood there as we
entered the house-sho was carrying on her
studies with persistence, regularity and
a success which was as gratifying as it was
surprising. She sat at neat, blanck wal
nut, ladies' writing desk by window into
which the bright morning sun shone; a few
choice plants stood on the flower stand in
one corner of the room was plain, but
neatly grained and vanished, bookcase on
the shelves Of which stood some OF the latest
and best books, popular scientific treatises,
more or less Of Dickens, Shakespeare We
think, and other works which stimulated and
directed thought
Not having next weeks Harper's Bazaar
at hand we can't say whether her hair was
arranged in the latest style or not, but it
was put up in what We suppose would be
called "French twist" or something Of the
kind, though we arc not skilled in tho tech
nioalities of such matters. We only know
it was very neat aud becoming as was the
tastefully made print dress she wore. The
charm Of that young woman 10 our eyes was
the thoroughly practical aud sensible manner
in which she took her quiet, rural life. We
we're not struck with her "beauty" as the
term goes, though there was an intelligent
look, a keen bright eye, wOmanly modesty
aud dignity highly gratifying, while the
proof of her womanly dizziness Of hand were
not wanting in those little "iancy articles
which We find in every tidy home. Whether
she makes stating" or "crochets" we know
not, but they are not her chief employment
of that we are sure. We found q cabinet
srgan, and If our memory serves us right, a
few crayon aud other sketches hung on the
walls--altogethe our idea of farmers home
for service, comfort and culture.
But Of this young woman's studies. She
had on her desk some work on higher math-
ematics, calculus" we think, aud the sheets
of paper on which her problems were being
worked out, as we glanced across the desk
looked very neat and free from orasures, in.
. dicative Of thought and care. We care not
at what school our daughters graduate" il
: they have not some taste for culture, aud q
little persistence to secure it. So many on
completing their studies graduate" from all
: good books aud vigorous thinking and severe
mental culture for life that we all but do
spair of the future, and this discovery wa
as charming as it was unexpected. We
asked our heroine about her social privileges
and she informed us it was sometimes it'll,
lonely, though as general rule her expert
ence was that of Shakespeare
My library
Is dukedom enough for me.
: Now, we want the farmers daughters o
n Vermont who read these lines-written has
IT tily on the editorial knee in friends sitting
is room full of its social life as we write-wht
n have as much leisure as our young friend
II how they spend these winter weeks How
y many days or hours of careful, methodica
70 study have you given to standard works
II history, literature, mathematics or art
o What will you be able to show, with tn
c freshness of coming spring, as the results
+ your winters leisure for study or reading
5, We make record of what we found on a visi
l. occupying less than thirty minutes, all told
e. in one farmers home for your inspiratio
1t and guidance. When We left we rattle
We ceased to wonder that the brother-one Q
rs the promising young farmers Of Vermont, b
er the way--still abode in the blessedness I
~ bachelorhood; perhaps he feared be migt
i. not easily find one who would give to b
in childhood home such an air of cozy comior
mt inspiring culture, eunobling refinement as d.
IN his sister.
" Noia Bene-Youug men in want of
~ wife to support herself and husband need no
It 90 to this mountain home the treasure
To- too coy and sensible for you to win; but
d. you have brains worthy of man, purpo
>. equally noble, the courage that never shrink
a demonstrated ability to succeed, hea
ID and life that is pure, character unsullie
and a reputation untarnished, you have Of
ht permission to pay your respects to our nam
he less heroine.