The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-02-09
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY o. 1888.

P-"A Farmers Wife, writes IA
plsintive letter to the New York Sun,
setting forth in detail the hardships
those in her position suffer. She asks,
FIRST, "is not q thorough education the
best worldly inheritance parents can
give their chidrenI If so, how is the
farmer to obtain it? He works harder,
sleeps less, lives palmer, and has fewer
luxuries than the jewellers in cities or
villages. He cannot have his cake
and eat it, too;' and il his luxuries
are not all saved TO sell, he has nothing
with which to buy his plain clothing,
tools and few groceries. He and
his children must work early and late,
or they cannot be clothed and fed
Not from early spring until late autumn
is there anything like leisure for the
farmer or any member of his family.
The few weeks which can then be de-
voted to study are insufficient to COM
plete even a thorough English ed
ucation, provided he has school adj
vantages, blessing he does not always
enjoy. Time, money, and opportunity
for study are his chief lacks" She
poes on to recite other disadvantages
of farmers life-insufficient return
from his capital and the labor he per-
forms, lack of time for self.improve-
mept and absence of social and re-
lgious as well as educational advan-
tages for himself ard bis family. Inc
questions which this lady asks no
doubt have some pertinence even in
prosperous New England communities.
Too often, through ignorance or want
of appreciation of the needs OF his
family, the farmer permits them to be-
come mere drudges. The wife tires
of her life and surroundings, and grows
prematurely old; while the sons and
daughter embrace the first opportunity
to quit their home and 60 out 10 make
their way among strangers. 1t is fire.
uusntly the case that the farmer is not
sufficiently provided with means to
render the lot of his family better than
it IL; but there are unquestionably in
stances where he could take more
comfort himself and make his family
more content, if he only thought ii
possible, if in acquiring the fortune he
cpjoys he had not formed habits Of par
simony that prevent him from profiting
by his money now he has it. But even
in those circumstances outlined by the
SUMS correspondent, the farmers life
lie not so hopeless or joyless as many
believe. The Sun. puts the matter in
few words, as follows:
But. after all, the farmer is working
toward the end every man without
a fortune is after; that is, TO secure
possessions which will render him ill.,
dependent, SO that creditors shall not
make him afraid, and taskmasters not
command his toll. He is his own boss,
and that point gained by him makes
him the envy OF half the people OF New
York. for instance. They are under
somebody ese's orders; he orders him
self. In the farmers case, there is
hope ahead of him if he is prudent, in
dustrious, and of practical wisdom.
For his work he has a substantial re-
Nrn, perhaps not measured by ms
bank account or the iuXuries OF MS
domestic life, but shown by his barns
and grsnaries, his stock yard, and his
growing crops. 1t may be tedious
work, but it finally tells.