Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-02
HIS GIRLS WILL BE INDEPENDENT.
Californian's Plan for Keeping Boys on the
Farm.

4 Californian's Plan for Keeping Boys on the
A San Francisco father writes to the
Alta California: An editorial paragraph
in recent issue OF the Alta says: "The
best way 70 keep girls on the farm" is 10
keep the boys there, and the girls will
stay to keep them company" The pith
OF this humor is It's truth, and the rule will
work both ways, for if the girls are kept
OF the farm the boys will not go far away
or be long absent.
If I may be allowed a liberal use of the
personal pronOun, and a little space In
your paper, would like to give uEterance
30 some reflections Of my own on "the
problem of life" IN the hope that some
one similarly situated may be helped in
his thinking.
am on the shady side of so, an &C
countant by occupation, with large and
happy family Of boys and girls around
me. The boys are the eldest, and are fol
lowing in their fathers fOotsteps-viz.:
earning wages enough TO support them
selves IN what is called pectabiIity; but
their future is necessarily an uncertainty.
l have not worried about the boys, now
ever; they will hold their own. But the
wage-workers in this big city and pit
their strength againstsO many where only
the fttest survive; or shall they, with
their natural right to my assistance, be
the founders of their own independence?
[ am endeayOring to solve this problem
IN the following fashion:
I have bought a piece of land in Contra
Costa County, and PIT on such improve
ments as / can afford. Ny wife-the best
half of me-has taken out thee girls,
| aged respectively IL, -, and Is years, and
our youngest son, aged II, and has set
tied on the ranch. [ remain in The city
at work and visit them every Saturday
evening, returning early Monday morn
ing, at cost Of 50 the round trip, and I
may say the pleasure of these weekly
reunions more than compensates me for
the enforced absence. [ have plan ted
nine acres in fruit trees and vines, which
[ reasonably expect will be a source of in
come at no distant day. Thus far we
have COW, pig, and horse; chickens
are to be added, and after awhile we
shall duplicate the horse, COW, and pig.
The two youngest children attend 4
good district school, where they can re-
ceive an education equivalent to that of
our D6o6 grammar 5CuOOIS, ne 9, Two
eldest will have the assistance-easily OBJ
tanned in our Older-settled communities
of some competent teacher, say once
week or so in advanced studies, so that
they may keep pace with the intelligence
of their times. Already their new life
mas set it's mark upon them in the glow
of health and strength of limb; and
withal and above all, they have work to
do, that greatest of all blessings TO hu-
manity. Ny eldest sons, when they visit
the little family, envy them in brotkerly
fashion their good fortune, and it is only
question of time when the lesson to
them will bring forth fruit in due season.
have written this, thinking perhaps
some man out of this cityful, situated as
[ am, might see his way as I do 20 in
dependence for the most helpless portion
of his family, and also provide a pleasant
retreat for his own old age; and if by
excepting the girls on the farm" the
boys should follow" then another
problem is solved