The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-04-17
False Economy.

w 10 uOC WISH 10 Do CONSIDERED as al.
vocating seemingly unnecessary expen-
ditures Of any kind. We believe in orig
i'd economy"-we believe that the ex-
travagant, improvident farmer mast
fail in business the very foundation of
which is economy and labor. But
there is sort of excessive economy
that makes men hateful to their friends,
to their families, and to themselves as
well. As benevolence is not benevo-
lence the very moment anybody gives
away that which his own family needs
so economy must be called by another
name whenever man ecOnOmizes''
SO far as to deprive himef of those
common decencies" which should
separate a man from a brute. We
have no patience with farmer who,
according to his means, is too economi
cal to be willing to make the interior
of his home cheerful and comfortable.
We have no patience with the farmer
who has no appreciation at all of what
are expressively known as the !" refine
ments of home.''
But what are the refinements of
home? 1t is, unfortunately, true that
each individual must answer the ques-
ton for himself, and that consequent
ly, in a majority of cases, it must be err
rOneously answered. We cannot make
ga silk purse out of sow's ear" nor
can we drum into the head of a dirty,
needless, thoughtless, selfish man that
it is as much his duty to attend to the
brightness of his own home, as it is to
eat his meals thrice day. But there
are hundreds of our readers who are
"reined'' at heart, and do not always
show that they are refined simply be-
cause "the refinements of home" have
never been presented to them in for
chile manner. There are others who
from education take a partial or dis
torted view of what every man owes to
his family and to every other man.
For instance, we have neighbors who
own fine barns and houses. The houses
are furnished as we'll as need be--some-
times elegantly. Their animals re-
ceive good care; everything indicates
prosperity-save one, viz, the door
yard-the lawn-the strip of ground
between the dwelling and the road, by
whatever name it may best be called.
That is given over to weeds and to an
occasional stunted fruit or ornamental
tree. Now there is nothing that so en-
hances the appearance of the house it
self and the entire premises as
need of attention to this same "piece
of land" Why is it not freely given?
In reply to this question squarely put
to good farmers, we have been told
" Oh its too much botberr or, cit takes
Tor
much''-or "That's all hifalutin; what
good does it do?'
In such answers we see merely dis
regard of the refinements of life. Such
replies cannot be supported by reason.
Is it too much bother'' TO have ones
floor carpeted? Does it take "too
much time'' to set a neat, inviting table
for the daily meals? Is it - hifalutin"
to black ones boots and to put on the
.dress-up suit for Church or Sabbath
School? What is sshifalutin'' in the
one case, is hifalutin'' in the other,
and the only difference is in degree.
The orderly and even beautiful appear
ance of the grounds about the home is,
to our way Of thinking, of just as much
importance as orderliness or beauty in
any other part of the homestead or
farm. Aye, if we were called upon to
neglect our lawn ON the one hand or
our Sunday dress-up on the other, we
should choose to neglect the latter and
feel that we acted wisely.
Spring is upon us, good readers. The
weedy, unkept plots of ground may
now be turned into things of beauty,
and 50 maintained for no more expense
than is required to maintain the tidy
room, the clean carriage, the Sunday
dress-ups and the ordinary marks of a
regard for decency" which we have
called refinements of home" Plant
a few dwarf pears; few evergreen and
deciduous shrubs and trees few
grape-vines, etc. Cut the grass every
week-keep the path, or paths, clean
and free of weeds, and then tell us,
good readers, next November if, in
truth, it is "too much bother;" if sit
takes too much time;" if Tits all hifa-
lutini''- RMrnl Mem Yorker