Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-09-13

best horse on the farm ever since he
was six years old, when gave him a
little motherless colt to raise by hand,
if he could. The youngest boy, Fred,
and his sister Mary, manage the poul-
try for half interest, and you would
be astopished to know what their pro-
fits are. Anna, my oldest daughter,
has for some years been interested in
bees. She did not succeed very well
at first; but now she e doing so well
that she requires, and can afford to
hire man during her busy months,
and has convinced us all that bee
keeping is a business that has money in
it.
But you say you cannot afford to al
low your children so much time for
these interests of their ownl My an
swer is, that l am satisfied my chill
dren's services are worth more than
double what they would otherwise be,
on account of their increased care and
interest in the work. would not now
exchange the assistance that any one
of my boys gives in my business, for
the labor of the best man l could hire.
But we should be careful not to take
all of our children's time. Leave
plenty of room for play, and visiting,
and rest. Every summer we bundle
our children off for weeks camping
and fishing, and then they come home,
and let the father and mother 90,
Take an interest in your children's
sports as we'll as in Their work. We
ought to be proud to have our boys
expert swimmers, oarsmen and ball
players. 1t is a fact, strange as it
seems, that city>bred boys usually ex'
Gel their country brothers in athletic
sports. Though the latter may have
greater strength, they lack the nerve
and elasticity of muscle of boys whose
supple bodies have never been over
taxed, and whose spirits have not been
dulled by a monotonors round Of
weary labor.
Let your children have plenty of So
ciety of their own age in their homes.
Encourage them to invite their friends,
and make it pleasant for them, when
they come. If your children 60 tc
the city to school, let them bring home
with them their school.mates from the
city, and make their visits SO delight
full that they will beg for Invitations
to come again. l tell you, if we farm
ers would only use our natural advan
tages, we could turn the tide of young
men and women from the country to
the city, In the other direction. E.
A word about the influence of city
schools and colleges n robbing rs o.
our children: / know that many a
farmer feels that if he had never al
lowed his children to go away tt
school, they would now be prosperous
contented farmers, instead OF poorly
paid clerks, or half.starved doctors Of
lawyers. Well, my children have al
ways been glad to return to their home
and stay there. While they were
away, there were still some materia
interests that held them from wander
ing too far. Harry's pocket-money
while in college came from the profits
of his sheep, and his letters home seem
ed to be pretty equally divided be-
tween the reports of his college Life
and studies, and his inquiries and di
rections about his sheep. And so
while he was acquiring culture and
wisdom from his studies and associa,
tons with educated and refined people
he was not losing his interest or prac
tice in farm life.
Parents little know how much pair
they often cause their children by theil
shameful neglect of dress and manners
among strangers and l hold thai
farmers have no right to bring discred
it upon our business and class, by &
carelessness of appearance or ungaiuly
behavior. If we do not wish our chill
dren to feel ashamed to be thought
farmers, let us show them that farmers
appear as well, and are as careful il
the little matters of etiquette that
mark the gentleman or lady, as those