Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-01-24
Fence-Rail Philosophy.
Western Plowman.

Anything gone wrong? You look
as dismal as n tombstone. What /!
Your two Oldest boys run off?
That is a calamity, neighbor Jones,
and Pm sorry for you, sorry for them,
and sorry for those traits of human
nature that make such misfortunes
possible. Am | not surprised, do
you say? Well, yes; am surprised.
Pm surprised they didn't run away
long ago, and ! see that you are very
much surprised that | should take
such view of the case. But now let
me explain, and I'll do it in my
plain, blunt way, for Pm no hapd at
smoothing down rugged facts. Your
boys have run away from home, and
you think they had no cause for an
act which, to you, seems like base in
gratitude. But / don't look at it in
that light. Your boys left home be-
cause they were starved! Yes; fire
up and get mad about it if you want
to! Take that hand-spike and knock
me off this fence if you feel that it
will relieve you butthat won'tmake
the facts any less facts. / will admit
that you gave your boys sufficient
food for their stomachs, enough
clothing for their bodies, and COM
Portable beds to lie in. You did the
same for your hogs and your cattle.
But, neighbor Jones, you never
stopped to consider that your boys
were rational beings with higher
wants than the brutes exhibit, and so
| say that in the highest and noblest
sense they were starved, and they
ran away to satisfy those mental
cravings, which stood no chance of
being satisfied at home. Poor fell
lows, how / have pitied them From
morning till night, week to week,
and month to month, throughout the
year, they know nothing but work,
work, work. You provided them
with no books; you took no papers
for them. Not even a poor picture
adorns the walls of your house. You
afforded your boys no pleasures, I'M
less it was to 60 to the fair once a
year and possibly allow them one
visit to the circus. You permitted
no social gatherings at your house,
and Christmas, New Years, Thanks
giving day and birthday anniversar-
les were no different from other days.
So | say your poor boys were starved,
were ill-treated and were denied the
comforts of life to which they were
entitled. Yes, yes, l know; you
wanted to bring up your children
with the notion hammered into their
minds that life is very serious af-
fair, and that the principal object in
living and working is to save money,
1t is well enough to be frugal and in
dustrious, but this can be carried tC
extremes like any other good thing,
What is the use of money anyway,
but for the comforts and enjoyments
you can buy with it? And when is
better time for enjoyment than in
youth? OF course you tell your boys
that all the wealth you are boarding
will eventually go to them; but thai
is poor comfort. One dollar now viii
buy them more real enjoyment thar
fifty dollars will twenty years from
now.
Now, neighbor Jones, you are no
a bad man at heart. So far as hon
esty goes, you stand well in the com
munity. You pay your bills and you
neither rob nor cheat your neigh
bors; but your constant grind, grind
grind! has worn away your bette
nature and has substituted an artifiC
ial one. How shall you change you
life now, do you ask ? Easy enough
You are man of strong resolution
and prompt action. Just resolve t
make the most of the present. Neve
mind the future. Turn your atten
ton awhile from your fields and you
cattle to your home and your family
Put carpets on your floors where the
are needed, paper your walls an
adern them with pictures. Get
bookcase and fill it with choic
works. Subscribe for several goo
papers. Get your daughters an o.
gan, and invite the boys and tn
girls of the neighborhood to com
in and enjoy themselves. Give you
boys a reasonable allowance of spenC
ing money, and don't ask them
render an account of every nicke
Give them an interest in the farm
Buy improved farm machinery, an
let them use it. Give them land an
.4ooIr o,,J Int ~ lao conrnJI,, ~ -,