The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-10-23
A WOMAN ADVICE.

udQ SOu0 10 tuo SllldSo-WeT0 Ill DSO,
and in the big, comfortable kitchen
Farmer Hardwood, his wife and his
wife's sister, Mrs. Lucas, were sitting
around a comfortable. The farmer
was reading an agricultural paper, his
wife was putting a patch OF the knee
of little Harry's diminutive knicker-
bockers, and Mrs. Lucas was crochet
ing a hood of blue and white zephyr
for a small niece. ~
There was silence in the kitchen
save for the swapping of the fire in the
stove, the ticking of the big eight-day
clock in the corner, and the rustic of
the farmers newspaper, and when
Mrs Hardwood sighed deeply, both
her sister and husband looked up in
surprise.
"What's the matter, Sarah p asked
the latter. "That sigh was the loud
est I aver heard you give. Has any
thing gone wrong? You look as If
you had a big load on your mind"
"I have" answered his wife. "And
it is a load which you must share. Eli.
I have borne it alone as long as | can
bear it. There is great trouble in
store for us, husband-George is 60
ing to leave the farm"
The newspaper fell to the floor, and
for a moment the farmer looked at
his wife, too much surprised to utter
a word.
"Going to leave the farm !" he
ronoof01 of Lost % Soroh nor,cf
be dreaming"
Mrs. Hardwood shook her head
sadly.
al wish l were," she said. "No,
Eli, it is true. George has made up
his mind to leave us. l have noticed
for months past that he seemed dis
satisfied and restless, and since you
sold Vixen he has grumbled a great
deal about the work, and the dullness
of his life. And to-day I heard him
say to Jasper Flint that he would not
be here a month from now; that he
had had enough of farm life, and in
tended to leave; and if we refused
consent to it he would run away, and
take his chances"
"We1l see about that" said the
farmer, angrily. "Consent to it! 1
rather think not I won't consider it
for a moment. What would he be
worth a year from now if 1 let him
go? He'd fall in with all sorts of
rascals in the city, and get us all into
trouble. Besides, 1 need him here.
It'll be ten years, at least, before
Harry CAL take his place, and he's got
to stay, if I have to tie him down."
"Why don't you make him want to
stay, Eli ?" asked the gentle voice of
his s~ister-in-law.
off he's got the city fever on him
all the talking in the world wouldn't
do any good" rejoined the farmer.
"He wouldn't listen to a word"
"Don't talk. Don't let him ever
suspect that you are aware of his de-
sire to leave you. Try a new plan,
Eli, a plan I have been thinking of all
day"
"The best plan 1 know of is to tell
him my mind freely, without any
beating about the bush; and the sooner
it's done the better"
"Now, Eli, don't be above taking a
woman's advice. Let me tell you
how to deal with George. l have
been here three months now, and
have taken a deep interest in the boy.
1 have seen his dissatisfaction, and
recognized the cause. l have over
heard him talking to Jasper Flint
more than once, and only yesterday 1
heard him say that if he went to the
city what he earned would be his own,
but that here he worked from dawn
to dark, and was no better off at the
end of the year than at the beginning.
He said that Tom Blythe, who is in a
grocery store in the city, gets twelve
dollars a week, and Tom is only
seventeen. Now, if you want George
to stay on the farm, give him an in
terest in it, Eli. He is eighteen years
old, and has worked faithfully for you
ever since he could talk plain. He
has had his food and lodging, and two
suits of clothes a year, to be sure, but
all he actually owns is that colly dog
which is always at his heels. You
even sold the only horse you had that
was fit for the saddle. And George
was extraordinarily fond of Vixen"
"It seemed a pity to keep a horse
that no n but George " rode"
said the farmer, "and she was too
light for work. I'm a poor man,
Hester, and can't afford playthings
for my children"
Won can hetter afford to boon on