St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-16
FARM VS.. CITY LIFE.
A Little Experience That May Be
OF Service to Many.

OF Service to Many.
The following sketch, taken from an
unknown writer, is in line with much
observation:
Farming is Just abominable," l said
to myself one fine June morning. Here
/ go from 4:30 a. III. until s p. M. just as
fast as | can fly, and what does it
amount to? Plain clothes, plain food,
no social advantages. no excursions, no
parties and very little cash in the bank.
| am Just tired of Worrying with con-
trary hens and ailing chickens. with the
messing of milk and butter, with trying
to be cook. housewife, seamst ress,
nurse. dairy maid, poultry keep
er, and a multitude of other
things. There is no time for dress up
in the afternoon, no time for social read
ing or mental advancement. When
evening comes every one is too tired to
do aight but drop into a chair, lazlly
run over the weekly news, then Oh to
bed. It's s|tagnation itself. l wish we
lived in town."
| thereupon began to dream how
lovely things would ne there. NV hus-
band would find work at a good salary,
or meet with a c0ngenial partner IN
some business. I'd ttke boarders, and
make ten times as much money as -!
could fussing with chickens. L would
grow intellectual and so would the chill
dren. and life would be wor h living.
Well. we left the farm and went in
town TO live. and this is how it all
turned out. The city was one of the big
ones, so big we had to rent a house
three miles from the center to avoid
being squeezed into no space at ali, II
to have the rent reasonable.
soon found that my shopping trips
must be well considered, for car fare
sOon amounted to a neat LITTLE sum. Our
mother church was located near the
business portion OF the town; after
walking the distance one Sunday with
the children and paying 30 cents III car
fare the next. We concluded to give up
the long-wished-for privilege and attend
a church nearer home.
| began to be told how unhealthy it
was. | had not thought of sickness; at
once | was sure one OF our family would
be laid away in the cemetery on the
hill. l begged to move back to the
farm. but just then the children came
down with the W%hooping cough, and so
the Door dears had to be isolated. There
was only a small yard, with no re-
sources: their only amusement was to
sit ON porches and watch what was pass
ing. How they lOnged for tue freedom
of the farm, where they could shout.
chase the pigs and chickens, ride horse
back, build forts, dig wells, do so
much that suited their active nature.
The p~laintive cry was. al don't know
| ANYTHING to do" The little boys around
would swear ard play so roughly
found | could not encourage their COM
ing. and when | heard how little ones
were treated at school by the older
scholars, | groaned and declared they
should not go.
My neighbors were very pleasant.
and, not being on a farm, | supposed
they were all happy-one especially.
who was the owner of a pretty house,
children near by; surely, | said, she
must be happy; yet. when l remarked
the same to her, she replied, with a sad
smile, Pm far flOm being happy. l
lie awake many nights planning how to
make money. [ want to be rich, and L
can't be; so | am just miserable"
The husband of my next door neigh
Dor was a ~bookkeeper, 80. having a GER
tain sum to depend upon, | concluded
he was satisfied, but when L learned
that he left at 6 a. M. and did not return
until 10 d. M, eating a cold dinner, L
did not wonder that he preferred farm
life; II later they rented a farm.
Another was distracted because he
had mortgaged his farm to buy city lots.
Dull times and no business had used up
everything, and he, too, vent back to
the farm. Many others we're similarly
situated. l found even those in we'll
established businesses worried by fail
ure of health and the perpieXitles OF
hard times.
The partner my husband sought could
not be found, nor the salary. / didn't
think, when it anie to the point, that
taking boarders would be any more
agreeable or as profitable as raising
poultry. l was surprised at the rigid
economy my neighbors practiced. They
dressed we'll, but had to deny them
selves things l considered essential.
Butter, eggs and milk, though 50 poor,
cost so much when used as freely as l
was accustomed to.
We returned to the farm a wiser and
a more contented family, and have EN-
deavored to remedy the evils, instead Of
running away from them.