Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-01-09

Obliged to Work beyond our SUeugtll' WIFI
slight returns for our labor, find II counter
part in other occupations. If we could
change our business it is not pr0bdJlc we
could step into the easy places. "OX-llke'
life of the farm. Yes, patient enduring,
long-suffering bearing the yoke, it was SO
perhaps, but soc there has been within
the past few years, rebellion, against
this state of affairs. They had endured,
suffered enough, the yoke became too
heavy; they asserted their right to be free
and IN organization was formed which has
resulted in placing the farmer in the front
ranks, he is no longer merely the suller,
the small trader who does the dirty work
in the furnishing of provisions, but lie has
become the cOmmissary general at the
head of the department for supplying food
to the nations, and he does not forget to
load his own table generously. This I'M
proved condition of the farmer enables him
to live in comfort and often with degree
of elegance and luxury.
His home is pleasant to look upon, his
tools are of improved pattern, his horses
and other stock are worthy the attention
and commentator of the best Judges.
And vet there is room for criticism, some
of it unjust and coming from the farmers
themselves. If wife and children desire
to dress in accordance with these improved
surroundings and to spend money for
books and music, they are called eXtrava-
cant Now | do not think that two-thirds
of our prosperous farmers are of this opin-
ion, but | have heard it stated in public
assembly within II year that farmers
wives think they must have an eight OF ten
dollar bonnet and other articles Of dress
accordingly, and that the children must
have everything that's going, pianos, or
gans, music, books and papers, dress fine
ly, go to high school or college, and its
enough to ruin any man." and more,
" when they are ready to commence life
for themselvs, they are not content to be-
gin as their father and mother did, but
think that they must begin where their
parents left of"
Now about that bonnet. had not the
courage then to disturb the complacency
of the gentleman, as he gazed around up
on the pretty hats and bonnets of the ladies
present, evidently thinking them substan-
tial proof of his assertion. | wanted to
tell him that there We're Well-dressed
ladies present whose personal expenses for
the VeUr were less than ten dollars. Per
haps his experience had been II hard one
but even if his wife had invested ten dol
lars in bonnet it may have been good
economy. | have in mind II silk velvet
bonnet purchased twenty years ago, cost
ing, perhaps, six or eight dollars; it has
been in use, think, every winter since,
in different forms, and the remains of it,
still in use, look much nicer than cheal
cotton velvet worn one season. Many Il
woman takes her last years hat, brusne,
the velvet, sponges the ribbons, recurls
the feather perhaps spends twenty-five
cents for buckle or IL flower, and the
next year does the same again upon IL new
foundation, and there is her three dollar
hat every year. 1t is so with cloaks and
dresses. Our careful farmers wives Of en-
get the worth of the money in the first
wearing out of garment, and we all UNI
derstand how dress of good material
when worn out is made by skilltul fingers
to become u new dress and worn out again,
going through this process perhaps the
third and fourth time, and even then it is
nal used TO stuff into broken windows. We
know it is not economy to have broken
windows; and besides, we want the dres,
to make opcr for one of the children.
MANY of our farmers are neither extrava-
CANT nor particularly economical; then
wants and needs are comfortably suppllec
within their income. If they IRISH to sqrc
their pride does not stand in the way, ~
one Of This class said q, YES, I'D Us sool
ride in the old waeon as not. ercrg5od,
knows we have cot a new one.
As for our children wanting everything
that is coinr-thev are apt 10 want ius
about what they are brought up to have
and if they are educated to the use of books
papers and music, it is to be supposed the,
will want some new ones occasionally; o
course the example of their associates vii
have some influence, but | know that
Girl can be educated to higher aims THAI
frizzes and pull-back, and can be conten
in a neat and appropriate dress and Il bo,
will very quickly responds to calls upon hi
self.depial if he sees that his fathers hab
its are governed by the same motives.
There ale Young people among us VIII,
will make no demand on fathers purse 70
books and papers they care nothing abou
reading them; and will hardly be fitted t,
fill the places of responsibility, honor nm,
trust that most parents hope to see thei
children occupy. And these are the one
who will be the most willing to commcnc,
re I.- l II ... 4I..: r,l. -,