Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-08-03
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should be taken. Like the men In ell
other caIings, the farmer needs books
and papers which are devoted to his
special pursuit. The attempt to get
along without them is ruinOus. In
these days of close competition the man
who is TO succeed must be we'll in
formed. Ignorance cannot successfully
compete with knowledge. The bows.
TOO, need these books and papers in
order TO give them an Intelligent
comprehension of the methods that
should be pursued and to lead them to
take an active interest in the farm
work But they should not be re-
stricted 60 this class of reading. The
best papers for the young should be
iurAlshed, and the newspapers should
also be supplied so that they and their
sisters may know what is going on in
the world. The wife and mother
should not be forgotten, but some GOOD
ladY's magazine should be taken for
her special benefit She needs some
thing of this kind still more than the
other mOmbers of the family. She is
tied more closely to the home; her du-
ties are very eXacting and her health is
often poor The monotonous drudgery
of isolated farm life has a disastrous
effect If 1T is not cOunteracted bv the
rest and recreation which is always
needed but seldom taken. When
the. ceaseless round has been too
long followed the health of body or
mind or both, viii give way; the
asyIums for the insane contain a very
large proportion of farmers wives
brought there by the combined effects
OF OverwOrk and a monOtOnOus life.
The magazines and newspapers lead
the thoughts into new channels. occupy
the mind with new subjects outside of
its ordinary routine and thus refresh
the body while preserving the health
of the mind. The farmer and his
family ali need periods of rest and re-
creation-an occasional visit to
friends, three days visit to your county
fair and all meetings of Alliances in
your county, Will be positively benefi-
cial to the health and will give an in
creased efficiency to the labor
which is performed as we'll as
properly develop the social feelings.
The Alliance Is proving an immense
aid to farmers and their families in
this as we'll as other directions There
was Il great nesd of something in which
their lives were involved. Lectures
and occasional concerts should also be
attended, but all low shows and even
all the ordinary grade of circuses should
be carefully avoided. A good men
agerie Is an excellent thing for children
and grown people to see, but many of
the shows which travel around the
country are of little value and III some
respects are extremely harmful. It is
a good plan to give the afternoon of
every Saturday to the boys and girls
for their own enjoyment. Instead of
trying, as too many do, to crowd about
third more work into Saturday than
they perform any other dav of the
week, the farmer should make its labor
lighter and finish it early. The even
ings should never be devoted to work,
but used for rest and mental enjoy
ment. We have known farmers who
have done large part of their husking
evenings and who often perform other
kinds of work after dark, but we never.
knew one who claimed to be a gamer
thereby. The man who keeps his
children at work from the time they
get up till bed time infiicts upon them
a great wrong while the one who
follows this course himself will sooner
or later be obliged to bear the penalty
of the violation of the laws of health.
The man who is industrious during the
day and who works regularly viii ac-
complish a great deal during a year and
viii perform all the labor which should
be required of him. The evenings
should be spent IN a cheerful and we'll
lighted sitting room and the children
should be encouraged to stay there
instead of roaming the streets or going
to saloons or stores. If home is made
pleasant and cheerful most boys viii
think it the incest place in the world
and Will choose to spend their evenings
in it rather than abroad Books,
papers, music and harmless games
together with kind treatment and
cheerful conversation viii be powerful
inducements for the average boy to
keep ont of bad company and avoid all
low and evil associates. The Sabbath
furnishes a stated time for rest and
should be carefully observed. Some
things must receive attention on this
day and the fact is often made an
excuse for the performance of a great
deal of work for which there is no
justification. We have no sympathy
with the few who make the Sabbath a
day of gloom or with the extreme
hberality of the many who make this a
weekly holiday. The Sabbath should
be happy day, but the pleasure
secured should be of a different nature
from that which is sought on other
days. Works Of strict necessity and
mercy may be performed, but no
labor should be done for the profit
which may accrue or In order to save
something which may otherwise run to
waste. The Sabbath should be kept
in a manner which will bring rest and
to the body and peace to
the mind and soul. Western Resources
NTro Gor,hror,in TrrriAolon 4hno,,s