The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-11-05
Farmers wives and their Needs.

pictures Ol the characteristics Of
exist nc on u farm wcr' drawn chief
tly lvm observation ot the farming COIN
mWitics uI the West and far West; but
the life she describes is u little different
from that we see in agricultural portions
OF cvVh the oldest States at the East.
There is the same luonutony. the same
s,ciusiou, the same lack of wholesome
friction with society, whOih,r tho de
tatnhcd farm is in Nebraska or New York
and the daily routine is one place very
like that inthc other Morroycrwc must
remember that our great farming re
%lons are no longer ut the East: that the
richest grnmics of the country aud Of
'h' world are moi now In the Gpu.Src
Valley, but in Minnesota and beyond
Mrs Colby nr>i spoke of early mar
Iiagc as fruitful Of muy troubles. Mat
rimouy is easily und rtakon in rural life.
and the country giIl assumes the cares Of
a household and maternity at an age
when The city ahd village Girls are still
at school. Her health /, likciv to break
down la consequence. her nerves to he
come shattered. and tie hald>Mps which
are necessarily incident to farm life in
its beginning made her oil promatucly
"ud she may add another to "thp long
list of farmers wives who are found in
our Insane asylums'
when the country boy thinks of start
ln.r out Tor himself IN HE. hIS first care Is
10 lock out Tor wife among the neigh
horjug girls Perhaps there arenot very
many competitors to interfere with him.
and 1t he Is likely young fellow, he is
not apt to find IT hard 10 win helpmatc.
lie Is not after money, nor fine social
alliance All inc wants is n wife, and
because he has nothing to offer her but
ms heart the Girl is none the less ready
TO accept him. Worldly considerations
do not affect her choice of husband.
She receives COW and Il feather bed
as her doWrY, and he gets team from
hls father rs hs capital in business, after
haNlng given his work under parental
authority up to the age ct tWcnty-"nc.
Tins, Mrs, Colby says. Is the common
custom Throughout the region OF which.
and 1t Is substantially thc same rs that
prevalent in the United States.
The couple may begin housekeeping
on rented farm, one third Of the pro
duce OF which comos to them from their
toll. II they get more than bare sub
SIstence, 1t must be an exceptionally good
year tor crops and prices. Perhaps some
ct the young men may be able to buy
their own farms. or make first pay
Haent on them. In the East the oIdOat
ana Ill the west the youngest son gcuol-
any stays at 'he ho'ncS'tad' hnt tn" me
u aPt 10 DE lFN'o'he 10 hnil' an" Ut ia.'
ne pIocNS up cour'T' ana goes al'cFi'S
''o'''eis u nc" 'e'''S III 'he west
The most eastern States for these pio-
neers nowadays are Iowa and Minncso Il
but the chief object points are DE-! "ta,
Nebraska Kansas and Texas. Du&outS
unhealthy and gloomy at the best, may
be their first habitatlon, and even when
houses are built they are small lnconve-
rlent, and finished only by degrees. The
Womens work in them Is peculiarly try
ing. mo one only tamilar with the
comfortable homesteads OF the East, can
form any conception OF what farming is
to the W estem women. The fuel IS not
under cover he water Is hard to draw,
when the land Is bought, and not home
stead, there are payments to be met: and
until the land Is clear the farmer feels
that nothing must he expended for com
forts in the house.
Debt and poverty rest over these
homes. overwork breaks down the WON
en-, who may rebel against the hnrclShips
Of Their lives. and seek to change them
by escaping from the bonds Of nlatrimo-
ny. 'Divorces are frightfully common
among the farmers of the West" Mrs.
Colby tells MS And even when the
farmers wife sees her husband gain
ing in prosperity she finds 40 esseuimg
Of her arduous labors They may rath-
cr increase. .'More stock. more grain
and fruit, more help to the farmer, I'LL
these mean more work to the woman.
She can seldom procure help. for such