The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-08-11
l Woman's Picture of Woman's
Farm Life.

farm we're drawn chiefly from Obserya-
ton of the farming communities of the
! West and of the far West; but some at
least of the features of the life she de-
scribes are not uncommon In this por-
ton of the country, and we will repro
duce them as we find them condensed TO
our hand by contemporary She first
spoke of early marriages as fruitful OF
undertaken in rural life, and the coun-
I try girl assumes the cares of a household
and of maternity at an early age. Her
health is likely to break down in conse-
quence, her nerves to become shattered,
and the hardships which severe poverty
adds to the many which are necessarily
incident to fam life in its beginning
make her old prematurely, and she may
add another to 1.-The long list of farmers
wives who are found in our insane asy-
lums. When a country boy thinks of
starting out for himself in life, his first
care is to look out for a wife among the
neighboring girls. Perhaps there are
not many competitors to interfere with
him, and if he is a likely young man,
he is not apt to find it hard TO win a
helpmeet. He is not after money nor a
fine social alliance. He wants a wife,
and because he has nothing to offer but
his heart the girl is none the less ready
to accept him. Worldly considerations
do not affect her choice of a husband.
She receives a small dowry, and he gets
team from his father as his capital in
business, after having given his work
under parental authority up to the age
of twenty-one. This, Mrs. Colby says.
is the common custom throughout the
region of which she knows, and it is sab
stantially the same as that prevalent in
the old States. The couple may begin
housekeeping on rented farm, one
third of the produce of which comes to
them for their toll If they get more
than a bare subsistence, it must be an
exceptionally good year for crops and
prices. Perhaps some of the young men
may be able to buy their own farms, or
make a first payment on them. Houses,
small and uncomfortable, are their habi-
tations. The woman's work in them is
peculiarly trying, When the land is
bought, there are the payments to be
met; and until the land is clear the
farmer feels that nothing must be ex
pended for comforts in the house.
Debt and poverty rest over these
homes, overwork breaks down the wo
men, and even when the farmers wife
sees her husband gaining in prosperity
she finds no lessening of her arduous Ia
bors Besides taking care of the house
and children, she must look after the
poultry, and, her husband having no
time to potter" in the garden, she
must plant, hoe and gather such vegeta-
bles as she needs for the table. She is
cook, nurse, washmaid, gardener, all in
one See loses interest in her personal
and perhaps becomes an un-
tidy drudge, careless of beauty in her
self or her surroundings. "Anything
will do at home or is good enough for
the family"
They do not even have the diversion
and excitement of buying their own
clothes, "As rule, the husband makes
the purchases, even to procuring his /
wife's dresses, while she rarely or never /
has control of dollar The wife re-
mains a child in finance, and if she is
ever intrusted with the shopping, she
does it awkwardly and unwisely." She
may get to g town twice a year; her
nearest neighbor may be miles away
the loneliness of farm life drives the
daughters to town to work, and leaves
the mother &c stiil greeter loneliness at
home, Gin which, perhaps, the spirit
ehafes until Il breaks the bounds Of rea-
SON.
An early marriage has prevented her
getting sufficient schooling. and she is
too often deficient in intellectual re-
sources. She knows but little of hy-
yiene, and only stout constitution can
resist the hard usage to which she SUBJ
cots her health with indigestible food
md impure air. What little social In
she has may serve to add to
1ay- lob haV. = hov TO = I /
or when she entertains, she is overcome
With the work of providing a profusion
# food for her company, and the extra
,xpese necessitates extra stinting after
yard"
This 8 gloomy picture certainly.
lrawn by woman, of the condition of !
large class of her own sex, and the
life it holds up is not attractive.
But what is the remedy for these :.
lardships? Mrs. Colby advocates the
of Agricultural Colleges
n every State, with fee tuition for wo-
nen as we'll as men, for by the census of |
$40 there were 10000 women in the b
United States engaged in agricultural /.
pursuits, besides FIVE million farmers r
Fives. She would also have colleges
f domestic economy for girls, where the !
roper preparation of food, care of the t
ealth and dwelling, and household 7
hrift should be taught. 1.-THE educat- ]
4 woman viii manage more economic !.
lly, govern more wisely, and work 4
lore advantageously, besides having C
etter time in doing it." She should :;
lso be stimulated to interest herself in =
he county agricultural society, and 5
aese societies should become a guild e
boxing after the welfare of their indi- L
idua1 members, men ana women both. B
The Grange, she says, his been a great
iaeatoF 70 WOMAN in districts where It
as been successfully established, c'
II n II.