The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-03-09
Seed-Time.


It will not be long now before the
seed-time viii again be upon us. The
season of leisure will be ended. and the
usual rush of spring and summer work
will confront us. The time for special
labor for the Advancement of reforms
in which we are interested, and for the
extensive and more systematic eultiva-
ton Of the mind. will have passed for
the time being. There is not an excel
lent opportunity in the midst of farm
work for these things, and. therefore.
the winter season should be improved
to the fullest extent The labor Of the
farmer in seeding. growing and har-
vesting. is constant strain. That is to
say. it requires his whole attention. We
do not like the word strain in this con-
nection, for the farmer has no business
to strain or overtax himself. No man
has any right to do more than he can
do without overwork;ng. Overwork
means injury; it means bent form and
stiff limbs. when the former should be
upright and the latter supple; and while
farming is not easy work, it is not nec-
essarily killing work. There is not
only no reason why the farmer should
not be well preserved through a long
life. but there is good reason why he
should be. He enjoys the inestimable
privilege of breathing the pure air of
heaven day after day; he can have the
freshest and purest of food. and he has
the delightful harmony and beauty of
nature around him all the time. Nat
urally his surroundings are the most
favorable for health, comfort and long
life. But he too often makes slave
of himself, labors beyond all reason,
and pays in doctors bills what would
be much more profitably invested in
help. We do insist that the farmer
should enjoy life. Of all men he is
entitled to that enjoyment. And
while it may not be thought wise to
act otherwise than upon the prin-
ciple that business comes before
pleasure, we believe that one object
of life is enjoyment, and that our
labor itself should be so arranged as to
make it enjoyable. Enjoyment OF life
is conducive to the best interests of man.
1t makes him kinder in disposition;
more charitable to the world; develops
his spiritual nature; gives him better
digestion, and makes him better
and more faithful in all his relations.
1t is not unimportant, therefore, to
study how best we can increase that en-
joyment; and we believe that it should
be the rule of farm life to embrace the
opportunities for recreation whenever
they offer. All work and no play makes
Jack dull boy, and this is so absolute
" true that the investment of money at
fairs, harmless exhibitions etc, is
among the best that the farmer every
makes either :s regards himself or his
family. 1t should be the study Of every
husband and father on the farm to
brighten the life of those in the house,
The life of farmers wife is exceedingly
monotonoIs. five men were confined to
the house day after dav. with a regular
run" letween the dining room and
the kitchen. we should soon have need
of more lunatic asylums; we Should be-
come widely impatient under the re-
straint, and il is to be hoped that. all
of US are thoughtful enough to consider
that our wives and daughters need all
the relief from this monotony that they
can get
Almost all OF us know what it is to be
bothered when the spring work begins.
and as it progresses, by extra things to
do. Tools and implements are not al
ways in order, and tn re may be repairs
to do about the premises which will not
permit of longer delay. As to the
former. if we put them away in the fall,
in an imperfect condition. we had better
see to getting them in order now. If it
is necessary to take them to mechanic
there will be no better time ( o do it than
now. And as 10 the general repairs
about the premises, MANY of them can
be done in winter, and should be DONE
We need to keep in view the fact that
when the work hegiDs. we will be in =
hurry, and that it is very Improbable
to be called away from it.-Westers
Rural. u