The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-07-22
Leaving the Farm.

Indiana Farmer.
81 am sick and tired of farming,
said John King as be came into the
house with a detected attitude and |
dropped YEARLY into a chair, and
after a short pause added, "and |
Will sell out the first good chance
get and quit the business.
HIS wife, a bright, energetic look
ing little woman looked up with an
expression in which both surprise
and trouble were mingled. and said,
"what is the matter, John, has
anything gone wrongT
Anything gone wrong! an
swered John in tone of irony,
''you would better ask if anything
has gone right"
The troubled look on Mrs. Kings
face deepened, but like a wise wo-
man she remained quiet.
MARY" said John, resuming,
81 am Thoroughly in earnest in this
matter. 1t is now 10 years since we
bought this farm and began our
married life, and I gave myself
eight years to pay for it in; then in
the next five years was to build
new house and barn, and by this
time we were to have been all out
of debt with good buildings, and
able to travel some each year, and
have a good library, and l had
planned so many things that l was
sure we could afford; and row Is
years have passed and we are still
in the old house and 1 owe near
ly $1,000 yet on the farm, and last
year l had hard work to meet eX-
penses and pay interest without re-
ducing the debt at all"
swell, john" said Mrs. King, 81
am willing to gov with you anywhere,
but we want to know what we can
.do,.and be sure that it will be some
thing better than farming before
you sell out. Now what do you
propose to do?"
MY plans are not very clear as
yet," said John, "but l want to put
the money at interest so we can
have some income, and then go to
work at Something"
''HoW much money will you
have2" asked Mrs. King.
about $4,000 after our debt are
paid" replied John.
'And this" said his wife, sat G
per cent interest would give $24C
a year, out of which yon must pay
house rent, and in addition, fuel
bread stuff, milk. butter and meat
all of which now the farm furnishes
u.s."
"But we must keep our own
cows" said John. 'The children
can never get along with quart o.
blue milk day, and have eaten
your sweet good butter too long &c
be willing to come down to the
strong, rancid stuff that we should
be likely to get at the corner gro
ceries."
"All true" answered his wife
"but you will find to keep a cow il
town and buy all her feed will cos
about 81 a week on an average, and
all our interest money will be used
up and a good slice of your wages
gone to furnish these thugs which
scarcely cost anything here"
81 shall want TO pay good Visit
to mother before we move, for
shall have no chance to ride after
the horses are sold," said Mary.
Eyes you will" said John. "Fol
1 shall kee horse and buggy and
you will have more spare time than
now"
"But remember" said Mrs. King
"you will have no pasture to turn
your horse in, no meadow for hay,
or field of corn to pasture, and a
horse will be one of the luxuries we
must learn to do without. Besides
you will be working for others, and
will have no time to ride, or even to
take proper care Of horse. When
you leave the farm every day you
are idle the income will stop, and
you cannot spend a half day once
or twice in a week resting, as you
now do, for there will be nothing
made except when you are at work.
Why, now John you have almost
vacation for three months in the
winter, but when you get to town
it must be work all the time"
John made no reply, and his
wife continued.
Il want you to do just what will
be tor the best, husband, but when
you talk about selling the farm
and going to.town to make living as
wage worker, think you had bet
ter remember that Shakespeare says
'Twere better to enduaa the ills we have
Than fl to others that we know not of.
The fact is John you have done
we'll enough on the farm, and may
be considered a fairly prosperous
man, and it's foolish to be discOur-
couraged because your success has
not kept up with your imagination.
You are 5000 ahead in debts paid
for each year you have been on the
farm, land at the same rate five
years more will see you out of debt
but even il you held your own, you
and your children will be safer and
happier on the farm than anywhere
else. Wheat won't fail often, as it
did last year, prices will not contin-
ne low as they now are, there will
be just as good times for farmers in
the future as there has been in the
past, and l am sure that you will
be not only happier but richer if
| you stick to the farm" John went
out to his work quite thoughtful
that afternoon and that night just
before going to bed he said to bed
he said to his wife, "Mary you are
right, as usual. l have been think
ing over the chances of success and