Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-10-13
The Coming Winter.

Winter can be made a dreary, desert
waste in the life of the year, and is
made so on entirely too many farms.
At this day when farmers societies exist
in so many sections, and where having
existed and become extinct, have still
thoroughly taught the duty and pleasure
of sociability, there is little difference in
this respect between farm and town
life, and what difference there is, is to
the advantage of the farmer. In most
neighborhoods there are now good OPP
portunities for social enjoyment in a
reasonable and temperate way, and in
what the town or city exceed these it is
bad for it is intoxicating and exhausting.
There is, however, a vast deal of pure
and sweet enjoyment in ones home,
even if it be isolated. The "hOme
body" if the home is what it ought to
be, is very happy person. Mother,
father, and the children gathered about
the bright fire, on a winters night, is a
lovely picture of contentment and quiet
joy. But such picture presupposes
proper surroundings. Such picture
will never be seen in a home that is
cherries and unadorned. 1t is not nat
ural for civilized people to live in hoy
els, and if they do it, whatever may be
the cause, the soul will chafe and long
for better things. AS a matter of plain
duty to the children, farmers should
consider how they can make the home
during the coming winter more pleasant
than it has ever been before.
Providing a good supply of winter
fruit will probably be attended to in the
vast majority of cases. But even the
winter fruits are often not saved with
the care that should be exercised. Can
anything be more reprehensible than
for people who have plenty to fail to
properly preserve itP Before the winter
is half gone, some farm homes are with
out winter fruits, or if not without them
they have been so pooly taken care of
that they are worthless, or nearly so.
Any such carelessness as this is crime
against ourselves, and in homes in which
it is practiced it is no wonder that the
children get tired of such life.
Good reading and plenty of it is
necessity in every perfect home. Better
stint ourselves in something else than in
this.
In addition to all this, an organ or a
piano, where it can be afforded, is very
desirable. Better place one of these
in the house than to keep the money
lying in the bank, or even earning ten
per cent interest. Music has softening
influence and it is entertaining. The
young like it and will spend many hours
during the dreary winter at the piano or
organ if they are permitted to do so.
So much for the house and now for
'sout-doors."
The stock should be well provided
for, and the farmer who provides for the
comfort of his family will be very
likely to think of and care for his stock.
We will not repeat what we have said
so often, that it pays to take care of
stock in winter, but will speak of the
subject now simply in the light of duty
which we owe to the dumb servants
under our care. Horses are usually
fairly taken care of, but this is not
always true of cattle, sheep and hogs.
1t is distressing to see one of these
animals exposed to the cold, beating
storms and cutting winds of winter.
And in giving kinder care, we will con-
suit our own comfort. We have seen
men milking either outdoors or under a
a shed that was simply an apology for
one, when their own Inconvenience and
suffering, though self-imposed, was pitt
able. How much better to have the
stock warmly quartered, not only on
their own account, but so that when we
have to go among it we can have pro-
lection from the wintry elements!-
Western Rural.