Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-06-06
AGRICULTURAL.
Making Both Ends Meets---clo.a
Economies. S'e

SOAVtAlCS.
How shall we make both ana.
meet Is serious question il
many farmers homes. 1t is easy -
say, by economy,but it is not easy ~
work it out. Our forefathers tsr.
but one fire, and around its cbeerfp,
blaze the family gathered. The b.o,.
log in the ample fire. place varmos
the room, which served for Kitchen
sittlng-room, pantry, and with 70
cess in one corner, for a bedroom -.
the old folks. Now two or mo-.
fires are considered a necessity. Thu
kitchen stove must be kept goino
and then in most farmers familiss
there is a "living ROOM" sort ~
combined dining and sitting roam
which must be warmed. Stoves on
required for both, and pertains co.l
must be purchased. Often vbsro
there is a wood lot, there is a Fitch
en- fire made from wood. II tatos
a hundredfold more capital to warm
a farmers dwelling now than for
merly. Well, what of it, We arc
trying to make both ends meet Tho
cost and repair of the stoves il
considerable item where there il \
short income. Carefulness must ho
practiced to save expense. Maketbe
stoves last as long as possible. Then
we must cut our own wood and burp
it where We can. In more than three
fourths of the State of New York tbs
farmer can buy his coal for less
money than he could have his wood
cut and drawn to his house and
made ready for his stove. To save
money, he must do the work without
hiring, and if possible, sell wood
enough to pay for the coal, which
has become such q necessity and
luxury. Our forefathers lighted their
dwellings with tallow dips, and later
on the candle moulds were invented,
and set did for the neighborhood,
the thrifty housewives taking turns
in making up the candles, after the
farrow COW was killed and the tallov
had been tried out. In very econcmlc
al families, or where poverty haunt
ed the firesides, the chimney blaze
lighted the room or better was had
from pine knot. One of the ablest
statesman New York ever produced,
Col. Samuel Young, educated him.
self by the aid of such a light. The
brass candlesticks were the orna.
ments of the parIor mantel when not
in use, and on public occasions they
We'd with the whale oil lamps as
evidences of luxurious comfort. Our
lighting, thanks to the bountiful
earth and its kerosene, is the least
of expenses, so we cannot cut down
much on this, except we buy our oil
by the barrel-there may be say.
ing of eight or ten cents on a gallon,
if we purchase the better kinds, and
we should never get any others. The
best are the safest. There will be
some loss when we buy barrel by
evaporation and leakage, but it is
a trifie and not equal to the bother
and time spent in getting it by the
little. Candles should not be entire
ly discarded, as they are best to car.
ry about. Glass chimneys break
easily, and where there is careless
use, are quite an item of expense.
The maple tree used to furnish the
most of the sweets, but now money
has to do it, except with a few praise
worthy farmers, who are wrestling
with the problem of sorghum at non.
paying odds, so far as an income is
concerned. Our less nervous ances.
tors enjoyed a drink of hot tea or
barley coffee, and suffered less than
we do with sleepless nights and poor
digestion. There was q saving, az
well as health in their drinks, and
the boughten tea was laid By for
visitors. How true it is, that com.
fort and happiness are wonderfully
in the imagination. II Las farmer,
could only think so, when my hun
ger is appeased with plain and
wholesome food, and ] have warm
fire to sit by and the Agricultural
to read, and comfortable bed to
sleep in, | am just as well of, and
should be as happy as Vim. II. Van
derbilt or any other money king.
Why not 7 If imagine that VII
ton carpet is necessary for my hap
piness, and lot of gaudy stuff all
around me, which / cannot have,
then | ca3 be so far unhappy and
fool. Many are so, no doubt; but
the vast majority Of farmers do en-,
joy their simpler aud less botherlng
surroundings. We should be the
happiest people in the world. When
we make our wants less we will have
less trouble. An old New York mer'
chant said to me not long ago =
"How nice it must be to pick q ripe