The Hartford herald., 1885-05-27
Close EcOnOmv.

How shall We make both ends meet ?
is a serious question in many farmers
homes. Ii Is easy TO say, by economy.
but 1t is not 80 easy to work il out.
Our forefathers kept but one fire, and
around its cheerful blaze the family
gathered. The back log In the ample
Fireplace warmed the room, which
served for kitchen, sitting pantry,
and with recess in one corner, for u
bedroom for the old folks. Now two or
more fires are considered necessity.
The kitchen stove must be kept going.
and then i'm most farmers families
there is "living roon.," sort of COM
bined dining and sitting room. which
must he warmed. Stoves are required
for both, and perhaps coal must be
purchased. Often where there il n
wood lot, the kitchen fire is made from
wood. 1t takes a huDdredfold more
capital to warm a farmers dwelling
now than formerly. Well, what Of it i?
We are trying to make both ends meet.
The cost and repair of the stoves il a
considerable item where there IL short
income. Carefulness must be practiced
to save expense. Make the stoves last
as long as possible. Then We must cut
our own wood and burn it where We
can. In more than three .fourths of the
State of New York the farmer can buy
his coal for less money than he could
hire his wood cut and drawn TO his
house and made ready for the stove.
To save money. he must do the work
without hiring and il possible, sell
wood enough to pay for the coal, which
has become such u necessity and luxury.
Our forefathers lighted their dwellings
with tallOw dips, and later ON the can
die moulds were invented, and a set
did for the neighborhOOd, the thrifty
housewives taking turns In making up
the candles, after the farrow COW was
killed and the tallOw had been fried out.
In very economical families, or where
poverty haunted the fireside, the chim-
ney blaze lighted the room, or better
light was had from pine knots. One Of
the ablest statesmen New York ever
produced, Col. Samuel Young, educated
himself by the aid of such light. The
brass candlestieks were the ornaments
of the parlOr mantel when not In use,
and on public occasions they Wed 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-then there may
be a saving of eight or ten cents on
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 a barrel by
evaporation aud leakage, but it Is u
trifie and not equal to the bother and
time spent in gettin Z it by the little.
Candles should not he entirely discard
ed, as they are best to carry about.
Glass chimneys break easily, and where
there is careless, Use, are quite an item
of expense. The. maple trees used to
furnish the most of the sweets, but now
money has to do it, except with few
praiseworthy farmers, who are wrest-
ling with the problem of sorghum at
nOn-psying odds, 50 far as an income is
concerned. Our less nervous ancestors
enjoyed a drink of hot pea or barley
coffee, and suffered less than We do
with sleepless nights and poor digestion.
There was saving, a. well as health
in their drinks, and the boughten tea
was laid by for visitors. How true it is,
that comfort and happiness are won-
derfully of the imagination. Ii l, as
farmer, could only think so, when my
hunger is appeased with plain and
wholesome food, and l have q warm
fire to sit by and the Agricutrist to
read, and comfortable bed to sleep in,
am just as well off, and should be as
happy as VIM. H. Vanderbilt or any
other money king. Why not? If
imagine that a Wilton carpet is neces-
sary for my happiness, and lot of
Rsudy stuff all around me. which /
cannot have, then 1 can be so far un-
happy and fool. Many are 50. no
doubt but the vast majority of farm
ers do enjoy their simpler and less
bothering 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 n ripe apple from
your own tree. wish could" Con-
trsst this longing with the thousand
sunshine and greenfield pleasures we
haye, more than city folks, and let us
be coutent and happy.