Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-01-10

A correspondent of the Woman's Jour
nal pays this tribute to the farmers
wives: The farmers of this country Oc-
cupy a position of honor and usefulness
They are the source of the Nations
wealth and prosperity, and by their vote
can at any moment decide its destiny.
Their wives occupy a position of CORES
pOnding Importance. They are the
mothers Of the men whom our Nation
delights to honor, whose voice Of wis
dom is heard IN our national councils.
Lebanon shOrn of it's stately cedars
would be her sad emblem, We're our land
beTeaved Of the patriotic and heroic
men whose early youth was associated
with rural scenes, with woods and
bird-vOices that fill the air with melody.
But the sweet voice that stilled the cry
of infancy, the kind hand that led chill
dren to the altar Of prayer. the councils
that conducted them in the paths of wis
dom, the maternal influence that deYel-
Oped their moral nature-these were the
pledges ana presages OF their future
greatness.
The wives of our farmers, whose thrift
and industry have secured for their nus
bands a competence, whose intelligence
is the light OF the social circle, and whose
piety is the guardian Of domestic peace,
are emphatically the mothers of our
men. Such women see that many Of
their sisters Of toll have tainted beneath
the pressure Of misfortune, and have
failed to reach that sublime eminencs for
which woman is destined. They have
trained up an effeminate and useless of
spring, and have bequeathed to their
country a curse instead of a blessing
They have failed in the great end of life
They have been mothers, but without
habits of industry, without the power of
selfcOntrOl, without intelligence or pie6y.
They have been untitled for their sta
ton, and their children have been sent
from the parental roof morally dis
qualified for the duties and respOnsibiii-
ties of a vlrtuOus life.
A failure in the country, with all the
opportunities Of success, away from all
the moral COMMUNICATIONS of a crowded
city, amid all that is pure and poetic in
nature, and that is suggestive Of truth
and beauty, and all that Is bOuntiful and
beautiful IN agricultural pursuits, rightly
to train their children, ought to awake
the voice Of warmth and reproof.
There may have been no failure In ac-
cumulating wealth, none in cUltiVating
the soil, none in making home tasteful
and beautiful but the failure has been
where Is most fatal, in training the heart
and directing the footsteps Of childhood.
They may have been lavish expenditure
to crafty pride and taste, but too little
to develop the intellect and train the
heart. There may have been untiring
effort to teach children to sing well, "a
play well, and to dance well but none 20
make them useful, VirtuOus and happy
There is an evident tendency to Ia
creasing wealth and luxury among far
mers, to initiate the Ostentation and dis
play Of city life. We wage no Waragainst
refinement We are not hverse to the
elegances Of life. But to train up our
daughters only to shine in the parior. 10
play the piano and speak correctly the
French accent, and to teach cur sons te.
despise honest toll of the husbandman,
this Is a sin.
Our fathers, who laid the foundation
OF our Nations greatness, were the tiliers
Of the soil; and many who have ploWeG
the held and soWed the seed, have risen
to guide the affairs of State, to hold con-
verse with the muses., or to sweep the
harp-stTlngs with q Bryeutis hand Our
mothers, whose names and heroic deeds
are immortal, cultivated the domestic
virtues; they piled the loom and the
needle, and made the garments Of the
men whose names are associated With
herOism Of the past.
We must look still to farmers wives
who are blessed with children. for the
men Of strong frames. Of iron nerves end
heroic hearts, to accomplish our Nation
destiny.