The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1883-01-20

II Is a popular idea that there Is little
TO do on the farm in winter. Counte-
nance Is lent TO IL from the disposition
Of many farmers 10 waste the time. but
the thoughtful and o%nterprising never
see u Time when mere idleness Is wei.
come. When one cannot work out-Of-
doors, ho can work in the house. post.
ing accounts. reviewing tho year sue
cosscs or revorscs, planning for the next
season. ordering his supplies of com-
merclal fertilizers, his trees or plants
Tor spring planting. hiring laborcrs, rs.
sisting, perhaps, In household dairy
matters, or engaging In good reading
or sociablity. Tho last Is not to be re!
garded rs unimportant. We cannot
safely ignore society" and winter Is
nm excellent time for It's enjoyment and
Its genial influences. For the very old
or feeble much exposure to the weather
may not be agreeable; but in all those
regions were slcighing prevails. the
young and strong find Il n specially ut
tractiye season. There Is something
about snow and \ sharp atmosphere that
Is celebrating To both human bcin $
and animals. and n ride behind good
horses, particularly by moonlight. when
the snow crcaks and sparklcs, the stars
seem 10 dance. the horses spring totheir
work. aud nothing is blue but the sky
above, Is an occasion for rather more
enjoyment than even the "balmy
spring affords.
But, referring 10 this matter Of socia.
bility In winter farm life. and slelghing
rs an adjunct, let me suggest that IL is
not for the young folks alone. My idea
OF s%ociability in all ranks is, that TO SO.
cure the best results in culture, there
should be nothing like divisions as 20
nges. Children's parties, young pco-
pies parties. and old folks sociables do
not answer the true purpose of such
gatherings. They promote awkward
ness and clannishness. and sometimes
coarsencss. The rather immature Young
man will sometimes make a fool OF him.
selt In a company OF about his own age
exclusively. and SC will the young lady
Of the same order. Their ~lameniable
attempts at ''smartness' may occupy
tho attention Of the company, TO It's
dctriment. and bo mistaken for admira-
ton. while the presence OF parents and
guardians would have q SOLDERING and
restraining influence, not necessarily
irksome. but IL would tend TO make
young people weigh their words with
moro care. While Il need not restrain
mirth and decorous hilarity, It would
tone down, and tune up ut the
same time, the intercourse Of all, and
this Is especially needed In farming
circles. The children, OF course. are
rudimental learners; the youths aud
maidcns OF sixteen and upward never
know quito As much as they think they
do; while parents arc apt to think thcy
know too much TO feel much interest IN
what Il purely social on surh occasions.
But something q little out Of the rut Of
farming Is the true design Of such gath
erings. The farmer and his wife should
be true men aud women ~ well a. farm
ers-a little given to literature ~ well
as TO pork and potato growing; able 10
talk about books and their worth. with
something Of the same ease with which
they talk about their ncighbor's fallings,
and with more profit IL Is worth a
good deal merely TO try 10 be agreeable.
and a man or a womru of any age who
succeeds at ID al Q party l. better able
~henceiorth TO do u al home. whore there
Il often a disposition to ncglec, T. Man.
ncrs, or an easy address. have a vas,
deal b. do with what we call success IN
life, and the great majority can easily
be trained TO them. OF train themselves,
BY carr and observation In rural re-.
gions. winter affords the beat opporsu.
nifty for this culture. - baatry 0caus.
man.