Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-09-11
FARMERS DAUoHT ERS.
Some Sensible Comments on "a Question Of
Perennial Interest.

| Perennial Interest.
Generally the country girls have a
mistaken idea that working classes in
cities have an easier life, work fewer
hours, get higher wages and con-
sequently have finer clothes than the
same classes in the country. They are
also often displeased with rural life
because the majority of the newspa-
pers and magazines are full OF "take-
offs" on the country lads and lasses. L
think the fear of becoming Il real
country jake" induces many n farm
er's boy and girl to seek their fortunes
in the cities. Farmers daughters
think they have risen several degrees
in the social scale when they get IL
position of sdleslddy in n city dry
goods establishment. They think it is
far better than plodding from daybreals
to late evening in a farmers kitchen,
even II said kitchen belongs
to their own parents. They generally
want more and better clothes than their
parents can provide, which is natural,
the families of poor farmers being the
plainest-dressed people in this part of
the world. OF course, rich farmers
daughters rarely seek employment
away from home. To sum it all up, it
is generally the love of tinery they can
not get on the farm that induces coun-
try girls to seek employment in the
cities.
1t is the mothers fault, If fault it
can be called, which leads her to do
the worst part of the household work.
She wants her daughter to have q good
time while she is young and can enjoy
the pleasures of young people. She
wants to give her time for music, paint
ing, fancy work and all the girlish ac-
complishments which were perhaps
denied her in her own youth. Perhaps
she feels deeply a disappointment Of
some cherished plan of her own girl
hood occasioned by lack of time or
means for its fulfllment, and wishes to
smooth similar difficulties from her
daughters path. In following this
plan she often (not always wakes up
to tho knowledge that she has reared
a very selfish, ungrateful child. The
majority of young women do not APP
preciate the love and self-sacriilce un-
derlying all this toll and drudgery.
More's the pity If they did, there
would be fewer heartaches along with
mothers hard work.
To the country maid the city chap is
often specially attractive because he is
more polite, and appears to better ad-
vantage in society than her country
beaux. The rural maid is usually u
great novel-reader, and in the polished
ways OF the city gent, his better
command OF language and his self
possession, she finds her book hero.
Some girls in isolated country places
almost live in books, and the
plain, uncultured lads of their ac-
quaintance fall far below their ideals.
Sometimes (not always the latter are
far better at heart, and truer gentle
men; but polish goes a good ways, and
sweet sixteen looks through different
glasses than those she wears at thirty.
Many a country girl says she will
never marry u farmer for nearly the
same reasons that are given for her
preference for the city chap, Besides,
she wants change in her mode OF
life. She knows from experience all
about the monotony and hard work of
the farm. 1t isn't the farmer she OBJ
jects TO as much as it is being the
lady-of-all-work ir the farm-h ouse,
dairy, etc. However, her assertions
don't amount to any thing, for when
she falls in love, it matters little to
her whether the favored one is farmer,
lawyer, merchant or priest, as the play
goes.-FdnRy Fletcher, in RuraE New
Yorker,