The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-10-13
Bob Ingersoll ON . Farmers Life.

A few years ago the times were prosperous
and the young men went TO the cities to en-
Joy the fortunes that were waiting for them.
They wanted to engage In something that
promised quick returns. They built railways,
established banks and insurance companies.
They speculatsd in stocks in Wall street and
gamblsd In grain in Chicago. They became
rich. They lived In palaces. They pltied
their poor brothers on the farms, and the d.
poor brothers envied them. But time has
wrought its revenge. The farmer has seen
the railroad president . bankrupt and the
road In the hands Of . receiver. Phey have
seen the bank president xbscond, and the
Insurance company = wrecked and ruined
fraud. The only solvent people as . class,
the only Independent people, are tho tillers
Of the soil. The comforts Of the town must
be added TO the beauty Of the fields. The
sociability Of the city must be rendered pos
sible in the country. Farming has been
made repulsive. The farmers have been
unsociable and their homes have been lone
ly. They have been wasteful and careless.
They have not been proud Of their business.
You must besutify your homes. When
was farmer 1t was not fashionable to set GU
trees nor to plant vines. When you visited
the farm you we're not welcomed by the
flowers and greeted by trees loaded with
fruit. yellow dogs came bounding ever the
tumbled fence like wild beasts. There 10 no
sense, there 10 no profit in such life. It Is
not living. The farmers ought to beautify
their homes. There should be trees and
grass, flowers and running vines. Everything
should be kept in order, gates should be kept
On their hinges, and about all there should
be the pleasant air Of thrift. In every house
there should be = bath room. The bath 10 .
civilixer, . refiner, . beautiner. When you
come from the fields, tired, covered with
dust, nothing Is so refreshing. Above all
things keep clean. II 10 not necessary to be
| pig In order to raise one. In the cool Of
the evening, after day In the field, put on
clean clothes, take seat under the trees,
mid tSe perfume Of the flowers, surrounded
by your family, and you will know what 1t
is to enjoy life like . gentleman. l
There 10 quiet about the life Of farmer
1 and the hope of . serene old age that no
other business or profession can promise. A
professional man Ia doomed for some time to
fecl that his powers are waning. He isdoom-
ed to see younger and stronger men pass him
In the race Of life. He looks forward to an
age Of intellectual mediocrity. He will bs
los; where once he was first. But the farmer
goes, as 1t were, into partnership with nature
he lives with trees and flowers. He
breathes the sweet air OF tn. fields. There
is no constant and frightful strain upon his
mind. His nights are filled with sleep and
rest. He watches his nocks and herds as they
feed upon the sunny slopes. He hears the
pleasant rain falling upon the waving corn,
and the trees he planted In youth rustic
above him ~ he plants others for the chill
drcn yet to be.
Isaj again II you want more men and
women on the farms, something must be
done to make farm life pleasant. One great
difficulty Is that the farm 10 lonely. People
write about the pleasures, OF solitude, but
they are found only in the books. He who
lives long alone becomes insane. A hermit
Is mailman. Without friends and wife and
child there Is nothing worth living for. The
unsocial are the enemies Of JOY. They
arc FLIED with egotlsm and envy, vanity and
hatred. People who live much alone BE-
! come narrow and Suspicious. They are apt
!, 10 bs the property Of one idea. They look
upon the happiness Of Others - kind Of
, folly. They hate joyous folks, because way
down in their hearts, they envy them.