The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-09-15
THE REASON
WHY BOYS DESERT THE RURAL HOME Al
FLEE TO THE CITY.

THE REASON
WHY BOYS DESERT THE RURAL HONE AND
FLEE TO THE CITY.
! Numerous writers have been heard from
upon the question Of why boys leave tsr
farm, and the suggestion has been made that
one reason is that the rising generation Is be-
I coming deprayed. This is not true. Ttsv
, do not leave the dear Old farm, where indus
try and virtue have their eternal abiding
/ place, to mingle with the mad f0llies Of clty
| life. BOYS do not desert the quiet hone
stead, and the fond parents whose life has
/ been devoted to their children. for tbs raa-
son That they want to mingle In the rlllg
/ whirl Of metropolitan life and become sharks
! in business and immortal society stars
No farmer boy ever forgot in bis success
ful years the quiet home, the sturdy labor OF
| the numbeTless attractions Of that old farm.
and during the cares and perplaxlties OF
| commercial or professional life Ia great
| city there is forever in his heart that picture
| OF contentment and rest, that haven secure
/ from the storm tossed billows Of uncertain
trade and the snaTes OF En artihsial exist
ence.
Other reasons as varied as the humsa
mind lie at the bottom Of this dissatisfacti1u
/ The same causes, perhaps, never led differ
/ ent boys to desert the rural home and fee q
the city.
! We can state why We left the old farm II it
would contribute anything TO science OF aid
{ IN settling long agitated question.
! Our last season on the farm was al uuf1r-
/ tunate one. The frost didn't get out o. the
/ ground till haying, and Just as the season
| opened, the old bay mare became a parent.
and the spring blowing had 10 be done with
fractions pair Of mules. We had lust be
come attached to these mules and felt
/ friendly interest in them, when little Incl
dent occurred which changed the whole cur
rent Of our life
We decided one day to reach the iron gray
mule in order to give him chic and tone. It
/ would take too long to give the particulars
I of this occurrence. but suffice it TO say tbst
during our convalescence We vent into tO7 q
/ and secured a position there We did uds
I plunge into the false gaiety Of town becauss
we loved it or because we Stunned tbs col
emn calm and holy hush Of nature in t1s-
beautiful valley where we had spent ma1-
{ happy years. Those who accuse Us Of that
( do us an injustice and cast upon IS an insin-
uation which is i'll deserved and unfair
/ The life of a farmer boy is clou1ed with
many nameless annoyanses of which the
/ great heart OF traffic wots not He who has
not passed through il. ought not 10 write
about it, for he cannot deal with IN. trou is
/ understandingly. II you have been a far
mer's son an6 have swung an old scyjhe
] the forenoon and come at noon, hot and hun
CRY, wearing an old pair Of overa,ls Of which
/ you are little doubtful. and an open-bacE-
/ ed shirt, with your sun burned spinal column
sticking out Of il clear down To tho wais.-
band, and fosnd on your arrival a sweet lii
tie city dumping dressed in cool muslin
/ there to greet You and look Won over. a-.F
smile at your costume and appetite, YOU car
/ say something, perhaps. If you have bent
/ your aching form over a two acre field b
/ day, feeding Paris green 70 the voracior=
potato bug, and then MIXED nine COWS, auE
labored with primary class of nine calve5.
trying to teach them how to drink, and expt-
rienced the rural joy Of being 5utied over
into the cucumber patch by each ore Of then.
and then crawled into your bed with sun
peeled nose and blistered hands at night. Y d
know farmer boys communion with rs.
ture. 1t is true that machiner- in every os-
partment of agriculture has laut charm Cd.
it on paper, but it still has i-s drawbacls
and its sorrows.
God forOid that the memories rE.-t ust~r
around the after life of a IaIm=r l.- should
be lost OF eTadicated, but there ara ire fa-
cidents Of our career on the farm that w are
/ endeavOTing with great zeal to FORGET 2 ar
come up before Us yet sometimes. aB- --.r-
dead hours Of the quiet gb, we seem Z. De-
ohce more kicked through the barn door .r
that hoary old mule, OF in our dr ANS We =--
out in the midst OF hayiug, pitching The fra
grant grass and rattlesnakes ana Hu.ni.ra-
bees, and crickets up into the ho, hay NOV
as we did in our boyLoOd days.
We like to hear the curfew toll he hour rf
departing day, and we also like 60 see tn
lowing herd wind siovl " Ger tha lea bur
that mad hunger for life IN the no, hs-ve>.
fields and the thrill and excitement % daw
ling away ouI time around a threshing 10
chine is gone.
Who viii say that it Is because we shua
the purity and honesty, and industry and g
per day OF the farmers life? 1t him VII
accuses US OF that, step into the Poome-oHa
Office and we will give him orr reasons.
which lack OF space at this time for5ids.-
BILL NYE.