The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1884-02-01
EVENING SESSION.

The evening session opened with
some 900 present, the house being
crowded to its utmost capacity, and
at least 200 persons being unable to find
seats. The Germania brass band took
the initiative in the exercise, after
which the Normal choir in appropriate
costume, rendered the "Haymaker's
Chorus The next exercise in order
was the singing by a mixed quartet, of
"My Pretty Maid"
The chairman having introduced Mrs.
DIR. J. c. Curryer, of Lake Crystal,
Mimi, that lady read her essay entitled
Practical Truths by Farmers Wife"
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN;
have been requested by the COM
mittee to give my views, or rather to
tell what ! know, about farming and
farm life.
shall not go into ancient lore to trace
the early traditions Of the occupation,
or try to unravel the mysteries of an
Irishman's lock to secure the statistics
to back up theoretical system. Wom-
an like / have not tried to farm theoret-
ically or scientifically, but practically,
and if may be able to present few
practical truths that may be of any ben
eft to any one. l shall feel repaid for
my trouble.
When this honorable body met here
one year ago, had made my arrange
ments to attend and felt much disap-
pointed at being prevented by one of
the airy little matinees Minnesota gets
up once in while for the benefit OF
snow bound travellers. But l derive
great satisfaction from the proceedings
of the association after all, in the peru
sal of the annual report. / felt like
agreeing with Col. Littler, that if We
cannot always sip the nectar it is at
least some satisfaction to "smell Of the
cork"
l came to the conclusion that every
topic had been pretty thoroughly ven
tilated, from the connection of the me-
tropolis TO the dairy, the dairy to the
farm, the farm to the household even
down to a recipe for rum sweat. y
But to my subject, or / shall have all
porto and no house. was brought
up on farm, and from the time was
nine years old until twenty-one, was
an active participant Of the bitter and
sweet, that goes to make up the every
day life on farm. In all these years
seldom failed to sally forth morning
and night, my milk pail on my arm, to
perform the dairy maid delightful mis-.
sion of "pailing the cow" over which
poets have become wild and woven
much into song but known SO little
about. l think very likely if the same
poet had sat down to pail the cow
and compose his poem at one and the
same time and as the beautiful white
milk flowed into the pail and hi:
thoughts flowed out into dreamy space
when he should be struck suddenly
plump in the eye by the deified animals
switch, well matted with burrs, hi
would probably conclude he had beer
struck by a meteor, and make up hi
mind to change his vocation to that o.
astronomy, for he will probably never
see 50 many stars again in the SAINT
length of time. l have MIXED in the
winter when the milk would freeze or
the pail; have MIXED in the summer
when the mosquitoes were so thick and
their affinity for me 80 great that i
would seem there must be at leas
twenty to every square inch of cuticl,
on my back. have MIXED when j
rained as though the gates of HEAVIER
had been opened for the especial bene
tit of the milkman's system. Again
have MIXED in the early morn, wheI
the dew was yet sparkling on the grass
and the first rays of the sun just peep
ing over the eastern hills. As watch
ed the beautiful foam rise higher in m,
pail and quietly hummed that familia
air: STREAMS of mercy never ceas
ing" l came to one solid conclusion
that good butter never should bring les
than twenty-five cents per pound.
will now pass over few years
my life, during which period took up
on myself the cares Of a house, moved
to the city and bought butter, and judg
: ing from the odor and flavor, some
times had butter sufficiently ancient t
have been stored in the hold of Noah
Ark along with the animals, or to hav
been distinguished guest of the Ma
, Flower. To be sure we had good but
I ter too, just as sweet and golden as eve
mother made, but this We had engage
by the year and for which we PAL
r twenty-five to thirty cents per pound
We will skip over few years and "
: find ourselves surrounded by tire
( boys, that seem to be growing up all les
2 and arms, with pale cheeks, flat chest
! and a growing desire to want to mingl
( with that throng of boys who neve
Q seem to have any place to stay but /
! the street. The early recollections
: my childhood all came back to me: no
t I used to skip over the green field