Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1877-09-13

they were, and all the intellectual activity
OF the country. were so intimate that al
most every river Of knowledge flowing
across the land. seemed 10 find its foun
tain head in one OF these homely abodes
Their response to every great expression
their hd 10 every great popular endeavor
were prompt aud powerful From the
scht@ed homesteads along the sesboar,l
to the last dwelling on the frontier. between
whose hearthstone and the pole the smoke
OF no white mans cottage curled. might
be found the solitary homes of those great
men who preserved and transmitted the
characteristics. which lie st the foundation
OF our national strength and greatness.
And thesr homes were part of that social
Organization which was strengthened by
It's rural repose and It's daily toll and trials,
ami which has become as much more than
all Others the type OF American civilizat 10 n
as the country Is broader than the town.
and as the rural population outnumbers
the masses In the streets of our large cities
As 1t was in the beginning. so il Is now
The country still feeds the town and con-
! unue TO supply its life-giving food so long
as y preserves It's sturdy ways OF indivldu-
81 independence, and refuse to abandon its
| calm and updis,urbed modes OF life and
/ thought Tor more active scenes and infiu-
enees. A New England farm is a good
home still. iarm standing apart In all the
| dignity OF It's Independent orXanizatiou-a
home founded upon kindly recognition
oi mutual obhgalions. and pressing and
Inevitable sense of duty devolving upon
/ each member Of so narrow community
home resdv 10 receive the influences Of
the library and the church. the schoolhouse
and the lecture room. and capable OF car.
| ryiug all these influences into its own re-
! treat 10 perfect and enjoy them there
have called your attention to these
oharacteristics OF New England rural life.
aud this condition OF the Isolated homes
which have Away a5onnded here. because
their defects aud trial have been from time
to time earnestly set forth. ana because
considerable interlectual ingenuity has
been exercised to fnd a remedy for the
supposed evil. Twerty years ago one OF
the bright and popular writer's or Mass
aehusefts drew picture OF farm life here,
so dismal that II true k should have do.
terrHd every person OF Intelligence and
taste from falling within its Influence. or
adopting lts modes The hard and home
ly fare had nourished hard and angular
forms the degrading associations had de-
lTnyed the department aud depravci the
Intercourse and duiled the srusibillties
More recently these views have been re-
peat"d In somewhat modified form. with
the addition of some deeper objections to
the social and domestic nfe Of the farmer.
II i now suggested that 1.-THE Young man
who takes his young wife u an Isolated
farmhouse. dooms her and himself and
their children 10 an unwholesomc, ugsa,-
istaetory and vacant existence; :" and that
the depressing influences II farm lite can
only be overcome BY abandoning the farm
a. an abiding place and resortlng "a VII
lAg"s for relaxation aud reliri That the
Isolated farm has It's trials ! do not doubt;
That i has ~ di~couragrmrnts sad De.
pressing influences aud temptations am
weh aware. That II has its freer oppor
tumty for the cultivation OF manly virtues
ana substantial qualities also, have al.
ready stated And the question now /.
whether he proposed remedy oi village
lite you'd remove the evils without the
danger OF losing much OF the good. The
advantages OF yllisaG llte. .as set forth. are
nnst Srice, the ivc-um. the billiard room,
the church. the schoolhouse. the renn"u
influence OF tidy. weil-ordereo Town. ine
evils OF village life to young and oll are
not alluded OF the advantages OF '''lASr
life the occupant OF almost every iArh J"
New England can easily avat thefhS'''se'
,r;,hor, hnrlensome trouble and expense
cNtiS. aNoitiaiiSt 49, from the
er Of family is glad to secure. / o no
tain the benefits It is not necessary 10 live
In village 10 avoid the evils Il is necce--
sary 10 live out OF il. And | count that
| family fortunate who, occupying An am
! pie estate on which they can probably
exert their Industry are 80 situated as 70
I be able 10 avoid the enrrvaring influences
I OF dense and enjoyable" communities,
| while they safely receive their benefits.
/ That the evils said 10 surround Isolated
/ farm life have been exaggerated, there can
/ be no doubts. have been close and
intimate observer OF our rural population
for many years and have failed 10 dis
cover the defects which are charged
upon il. New England abounds with
| cheerful. well-ordered rural homes. snp-
I piled with books means, amuse meIt ana
comfort, and Instruction homes whose
! fathers aud sons are not hard and vulgar,
| and whose wives and daughters are not
/ homely and discontented and careworn.
The objections made To New England
farm life does not Apply TO New E-giand.
| They NAV apply to elsewhere but nor
here The badly-organized homes are the
exception and not the rule in this section
OF the country. and anyone who will take
pains TO examine the farmhouses OF every
locality here devoted TO active agriculture
will find good order. domestic prosperity
intelligent. hospitality, and comfort. a
universal as in anv community brought
together by more active occupation. and
presented as an example for the farmer tc
follow. And without instituting any in
vidious comparison, | am confident that II
the domestic organization known as 6
farmers home. as now establiahed In the
rural district of New England. there may
be found as many Of the elements which GO
TO make happy and intelligent house
hold as in any spot on earth. AT any rate
these homes are a part of our social anC
civil experiment. to-day a. they were II
the dsys OF ~" fi'hcrs. The indepen-
dent land holder must still find con
spicuous place here. Those qualities
which are strengthened by the partriach
al position of the master OF household
surrounded by his acres and surveying hi
fl0cks and herds. must enter largely Int
his makeup. who would be a represents a
tive American citizen. He may be ov
er.prudent. reticent, slow 10 speak. cal
eulating, from the necessities OF his occu
patton; but he Is strong in his convictions
/, devoted to his duty. guided oy the bes
, instincts. hard to mislesd. proper as tn
|, head Of family, honest and reliable Il
|, any public service assigned him no time
server, no sycophant, no dlsturber of tn
peace From him came the substanta
, and fundamental elements of the NOR
active spheres of life. As the great land
holders of England preserve against al
: adverse influences the national character
isties which no heated and excitable con
mittees can destroy. so the small America
/, landhelders nourish and cherish and .ran'
nit those unchangeable points OF our ma
tional character, which rise conspicuou
] In every crisis. and maintain our peculia
a positions among the nations of the eartf
! Thus far / have found no disposition
abandon this system OF independent, ist
lated, occupied farms, and to resort t
T village life for relief The spirit whic
! peorled our frontiers still remains. tn
= desire to occupy and reclaim the land is 8
{ great as ever. The love Of the old farl
/. house has not yet died out, and the Amer
: can farmer OF to-day, true to the spirit
!. his ancestors, accepts and enjoys his situ'
= ton as ardently as do they who. born u
!. de. another and as think inferior for
:, of state and society. coDgregate IN GROVE
= ed villages BY night. and 60 forth to the
;, unalley lated toll by day.
l,-rskk rA m thA nj