The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-06-14
FARMERS DAUGHTERS.
Their Unhappy Home Life---SOme Inn
provements OGered by One of
Their Number.

lneE
A farmers daughter, who signs herself
Mary lane, writes the following letter to
the Inter Ocean;
81 have waited for somebody to say
something for us girls, 1t is a common
thing in this neighhorhood for farmers to
pay their boys; l know some who pay
their boys as high as twenty dollars per
month, whose daughters toll patiently
from daylight in the morning until late at
night, and would feel very, grateful for
one dollar a week. AS rule, the BOYS
here who receive wages spend their mon
ey foolshly. Indeed their clothes, or the
necessaries, are the last things they think
of-they are so accustomed to their moth
ers and sisters looking after them"
Why, indeed, should there be made the
difference indicated between the farmers
girl and his boy' The former is quite as
much entitled 10 reward for services as
the latter. In truth, the farmers girl is
frequently the more valuable of the two.
She is expected in many cases to arise
very early, get breakfast clean up the
house, and prepare the other meals re-
quired through the day, or if not, to at
least largely aid in all these household du-
ties. In addition she is looked upon by
father, mother and brother as the one to
entertain company-to act the hostess at
least as a creditable second to the mother,
and while she may be the pride of the
family; and regarded as sort of privileged
character, yet much is expected from her
in ten thousand smaller features of the
farm life. Why, then, should she not be
encouraged with al least as much pay as
the boy receivesi a0"
The farmer ought to make his home
very attractive to his girls. 1t is said that
our houses OF Ill fame are recruited large
ly from the farms of the country. If this
is true it is a very mournful item In our
social country life. 1t shows that the
farm house lacks attractiveness--tha
there are features of responsiveness in its
details. 1t should not be so.
The farm home can be made one of
the most pleasant, home like, almost fas-
cinating of places to the son or daughter
of the farmer. Let the farmer first ed
ucate his children, and make books, peri.
odicals newspapers, music, flowers, ETC.,
necessary TO their very being Then let
him make his home attractive with every
thing that can make it so-a good libra.
ry, piano, plenty Of books, newspapers
and pictures; cultivate taste in the girls
for flowers, etc. These features with
moderate daily amount of work, should
produce happy and contented home
farm-lite. OF course, objections suggest
themselves to the brief outline indicated,
chief of which, perhaps, is that most far.
mers are poor, and can afford but little
beyond the barest necessities of life,
which is formidable objection, and to
this the only answer is-do what can
be done in the direction indicated. Flow
ers are cheap. Weekly papers surely
are, and the dailies are moi expensive
Pay your girls regular weekly salary
with the understanding that portion of
it must go towards some of the articles
named to make home attractive. If
satisfactory result is not arrived at in
brief period, a good start will be made
and in the course of two or three gener.
ations our farm homes will not be places
which the boys and girls will desire to
leave for the crowded city.