The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-10-25
For the Farmer and Mechanic
A Suggested Amendment

In some of the leading American Jour
mails there is department. intro
duced by the Detroit Free Press, and
from its marvellous success and popu-
larity. adopted by the others.--called
the Household. which is devoted to
the friendly interchange between wo-
men. and men. too, if they like, of let
tiers upon the thousand and one topics
of general interest that arise i'll daily
life. the discussion of household affairs.
receipts, directions for work; short
cuts" in domestic economy, anything
that is practical, useful, and labor-sav-
ing. Then for other things. books are
discussed, or suggested, questions are
asked. thus everybody's store of owl
edge is increased, advice is given. local
legends are told. or curiosities are de-
scribed; and pleasant talks are had with
one another where writers have become
mutually pleased. and interested.
| have known of strong personal
friendships that have grown out of these
Household letters, between congenial
spirits. who. without such medium OF
acquaintance. would have lived unknow-
ing and unknown. Then. there are
many people cut off by the circumstances
of their lives from social intercourse. .anG
condemned to hard duties, and uncon-
genial association, who lind i'll these
Households" friends. ~ympathsers
advisers. and sources of pleasure and in.
tcrest that otherwise they would be
wholly without
These Household letters are written
carefully. a. t"r the press; on one sd,
only Of the page, and are generally SIGN.
ed with some assumed name. tho the
writer's OWN name. and postotlice ad.
dree, l. perfectly admissible when they
prefer to use it.
The postlgc i always paid in full,
ii letter rate--by the writers. and ol
the corner Of the envelope generally i
written For the Hou~chold,' to pre-
vent confusion with the other matter de-
signed for that paper.
Ofcour~e no one writes very long let
ters for the variety. 50 "a to please the
greatest number Of readers, is a point
that the F,litur-incharsa mus, never lose
Sirht Of AMI if he writer's grow too dif
fise. why the editor will clip their wings
a little hit, that's all
The f litor Of the F 4 VI. offers q
page ct his paper 10 his lady readers if
they chose to bec,me writers for it. aud
while fair proportion Of them can write
prose or verse. romance or essay passing
well. a much large rer cent than they
could write pleasant letters. or give valu-
be receipts or hints for household mat
terS. or answer some question.
Some Of the best letters | ever read
were written by North Carolina women,
aud such letters would have more inter
est for the general reader than the hest
piece of mere literary writing by prac
ti>ed ren. Therefore propose an
amendment to Capt. Shptwelis plan.
which as he is public spirited, | think
he will adopt if the majority prefer it,
and my amendment is that he allows US
the three months between now and his
next premium distribution to demon
~trate by the majority OF writer's whether
his ladies' Department shall be ex
r'u,jvelv literary. o. whether it shall be
Tie Farmer anl Mechanic Household
vha ever, bolv, from grandpa 10 the
chimney corner, to sweet sixteen at
school can ,ome IN every row and then
for friend, dish ofdi>course
RISE un In meeting lalias and say how
mary vote for the amendment proposed
by Non Qrr> SFn QrIn
\, FE With thanks 10 oar fair cor
respondent for the kindly interest mar,
ifestcd we add r,tc to say that
!; viii give us great plces'Ir 10 see her
gscstion loptei; aHd with this we
throw open the Ladies Department for