The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-02-17
FARM LIFE

W lAItnsi are oot1tenteu Win tnelt
lloti during some period Of their
.lliyes that inherent desire to roam
possesses their minds; they long
to mingle with other people out,
side ofthe narrow sphere in which
lives have been spent, and 10
dance that round Of eternal pleas.
nreKhich they fondly imagine ex-
lists in the city.
Unfortunately too many crafty
their desire sooner or later, and us
taslly with disastrous results. The
young are prone TO see only The
bright side Of life, and to place
nothing against it in the balahce;
!. they see, or think they see, the
btight future which lies before
them, and eobIiyiousofthe strpg.
giles, temptation and reyerses they
must Of a certainly encounter and
overcome before reaching even a
fair position in life, among the
many thousands in a large city,
whose lives are spent delying for
the same purpose. Wealth is the
goal towards which every energy is
benl; and many are not at all scru-
pulous how they reach it.
To be sure, the work on a farm is
hard; the farmer is often obliged to
work from down till close Of day;
his holidays during the busy season
are very few, and at night he is
completely tired out. But in re-
turn for all this arduous labor, he
enjoys perfect health, a splendid
appetite, refreshing sleep and an
independence that few Of our city
young men ever reach.
Life in a large city is by no
means a long day of ease and enjoy.
mentas many would imagine; here
is a young man who, becoming dis
satisfied with the life on the home
farm, sought 10 better his condition
in the city; when we last saw him
he was strong aud rugged, and as
we talked with him We euvied his
tanned checks, tinted with thcrud
Idy glow Of health. But now, we
can hardly believe that a few short
years would have wrought the
change. His face is pale and his
cheeks sunken, the dark lines un
der the inaamed eyes, the bowed
form aud slow tagging tread, all
tell the unmistakable truth.
When questioned about his city
life, he frankly said: II wish / had
neyerleft the dear old farm; there
| had plenty Of good, noulishlng
food and could relish III innocent
pleasures, and more than all, a
comfortable, happy home. Here In
the city it is a neyer.ending strug.
gle to keep body aud soul together
with no loved ones to counsel and
cheer me-"
Thus it is; and cases like the
above IRE the rule rather than the
exception. Many times young men
from the country, finding it so diff
erent from what their fancy pic.
lures, seek to better theirconditiou
and cover up their regrets by in.
diligence in vice and crime.
Boys, stick to the farm, your la.
Dor is hard, but it brings a sure re.
ward; and all tho pleasures Of a city
life will not compensate you for the
loss Of fathers aad mothers advice
and love; the city is full of suares
and pitfalls for the feet of the un,
wary, and you are no more likely
to escape than others.
A word to parents; Are you do
ling all you should to make home
pleasant and work on the farm
more agreeable to your boys? Du
not deny them innocent pleasures;
a days pleasure now aud then,
plenty Of good, interesting and In.
strucIive books aud papers, will do
a vast deal to drive away any dis
content which may arise. As your
boys grow older, teach them to de-
pend on themselves, ask their opin.
ions concerning the daily work on
the farm, and if they show any dis,
position to do for themselves, give
them the use Of part Of the farm,
they to do the work and reap the
reward. Many a successful farmer
and fruit grower owes his first start
in life to the benefit derived from
the small plot Of ground on his
fathers farm, which set in fruit
trees and plants, Do not force your
boys to plant corn and potatoes
when they wish to set plants for
fruit. Hclpand encourage them in
their reasonable desires, making
them feel that a chance is offered
them to take a step for themselves,
md liz An.;.0 a.. -. nc. IN