The Republican., 1890-02-15
The Old Time Farm.
Ind Leader and Herald.

l8Fp'Xeland Leader and Herald.
ibe following exceedingly lively
;# clever essay was read bv Mrs.
f'&fa X. FentOn at the recent Farm.
Institute in ColIampr. 1t is en-
Isst'e'i Farm Facts and Fancies," and
ELI named:
ENG born in the country and
Mfpd on a farm for a period OF
sssMsnty years. would scarcely equip
TO write hn exhaustive article Otl
Hming. Ny effort to write even on
tA1m facts, reminds me of the an
sAfr Of a friend living in the town
PE&ruitfOrt, Mich. who, when asked
Rik his place of residence was thus
fatMed, replied, "Because there is no
| gat here, aud there never was
J'a4ssWa 10 beany fruit"
EpSS;aking a retf4spective view of
II fiINife on the farm, that which
Vas poetic and beautiful comes
Back . me. / recall the sweeping
meadP with its hillside, the now
erb' rellar swath, the Whetting of
the sryles, the bird songs, the smeIl
0f new a0wn hay, all blending iu
such Sweu reality that | again catch
the muse and breathe fragrance.
! What an sent X was when bright
red rey0lvng rake was purchased,
with its genaral air of being able to
DO The work alone, merely inviting
the laborer to an airy throne, ana a
ride around in kihgly state. This
cr0Wnlng invention began to brood IA
spirit Of unrest whhiu the farm.
house, and a sGnoldtring spark of
anarchy found vent in vain longings
for dish washing APPARATUS. or "A
washing machine that would go nv
horse power. WHAT a time it WAS
when we children were warned that
1t was 3 O'Clock and we must 90 after
The cOMs. What wealth of shear
mint and peppermint on the way (!
What gathering of thOrn.appleS and
sweet flag, aud what mixed aud pun
gent havCrs luckered our lips and
sung our tongues. which we chill
dren wisely learned to assauge hy a
bowl Of bread and milk!
There Is mistaken notion afoat
that the country does not foster the
bve of beauty, and that the ideal
and the actual aie always at war
that it is all wEk, work, with never
ilhe to enjoy the beauties of nature.
purely il takes no time tc look oyer
'so, h 8 daE'ufd Ia blossom airh its trend.
No"\' s. of qulvering bloom, its de .
/, 90 pink-tlngtd petals freighIiuy
| ne air with such sweetness, every
| teath is a delight. One need IN y
. lift the eye to find enhancing
WelinesS in the hop-vine, with its
Waying ppnduI0us blossoms, 50 light
nd tilmv that they SEEN touched bv
airy fingers. | close my eyes now
md hear the drnWSy hum of insects,
ae the tender green sward thitklv
tottcd with dandeliOnS, or the roll
NJ fields blushing with the red
dover or softly flpcked with white.
SYen the long sprays of sweet clover
ppear with their dainty incense and
White plumeS. Who can say that
81 this opulence of nature gives no
Opportunity to crafty ones sense Or
5eauty. even though work is the dull
daily round?
I 1t is a question whether Burns
ever would have become the poet he
was without the inspiration he found
10 homely farm life. Coniugating
Latin verbs was beyond him, but
Rob. the pIowboy, could talk to the
torn, tender flower he had uur0otcd,
TO the poor, hunted hare, and to the
mouse whose nest he had DESTROYED.
as poet dWellerS in cities could never
have talked. Hear him. when his
Ruthless plow has crushed the noun
tain daisy:
Wee, modest. crimson-tipped flower,
ThOu'st met me in an evil hour,
For maun crush among the stones
Thy slender stem,
- To spare thee now is past my power
Thou bonny gem.
No one can deny that there is
alluring in pastoral pur-
suits. when we see so large a proper
tiOn of our brainy men in cities fas.
with the idea of buying
farms and living on them a part
the year as species Of recrea-
ton. This speculation often proves
more wastefnl to their substance
than lavish in furnishing the means
Of rIOtOus living. In this case the
pleasure farmer earns his bread by
the sweat of his hired mans brow
but it would take sleight.Of.hand
performer TO find the bread.
Henry Ward Beecher says: "There
Are more passable orators born each
year than there are first.class farm
ers." He knew that the proportions
Of first-class anybOdys, born in any