Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-08-20
THE FARM AND HOME.
THE FARM is THE BEST PLACE
FOR THE BOYS.
Give the Boys a Direct interest in Stocks
and CrOps-The Farmers House
Farm Notes and House,
hold Hints.
The Farm the Best Place.

III Is unfortunate lutI human DCIuRS
will not "let we'll enough alone"
Boys especially are restless; the aver
age country boy is better situated than
his city or town cousin. but he can't be
made to believe it. He imagines if he
could exchange his position on the
farm to clerkship OF some kind in
the city, he would not only make more
money but would have much easier
time, to say nothing of the great dig
nifty (?) that attaches to clerical work.
Very frequently the boy who is best
situated is the most restless; one who
lives on the farm with father and
mother. where everything is grown
and furnished to his hand, very fire.
quently grum5les at his condition and
thinks he has a harder time than any
body else.
His restlessness is due in part, no
doubt, to the fact that the boy is CIV
en- no direct interest in crops and stock.
His father and mother may tell him
that he is working for himself when he
is improving the farm; that he some
day will inherit some of it, etc, but
that don't satisfy like making him a
partner in the business, by giving him
a small per cent Of the profit in crops
and stock SO that he can feel and see
that he is making something. People
have to feel like they are making some
thing or they will become restless, and
especially is this true OF the boy. But
leaving aside the boy who has a coun-
try home. we will speak of the one who
hires out by the month to work on the
farm. 1t would seem that if any coun-
try boys would be dissatisfied that class
would. But let's compare their con-
dition with that of those who hire in
the city as clerks. factory operatives,
etc. A good hama on the farm will
get all the way from *l5 to $50 per
month. That may seem little when
some town dude is getting maybe
&35 or $40 per month. But we must
remember the boy on the farm is get
ting his board besides; he has to buy
fewer clothes. has fresh air. pure
water and ''hash" that he
understands. The city clerks
factory operatives, etc. may
mako s. or $40 week or $25 to $40
per month. but they have to pay their
board out of that, which at the lowest
figure for respectable board would not
leave them more than $40 to $40 per
month, and if they were to get such
board as the average farmer gives they
would have nothing left; their cxpcn-
ses for clothes are greater, they
breathe impure air, drink bad water
frequently, have less chance for read
ing and recreation, and have surround
ings generally which compare unfav-
orably with those of the country boy.
1t is true that there are a few oc-
cupying paying positions in the city.
but on examination it will be found
that they have spent a great deal oil
time and money in preparing for some
special work. and generally have Il
load OF responsibility to bear, from
which the masses receiving less wages
arc exempt. But the masses, prob
ably so to 90 per cent Of the employees
in II city after expenses are paid have
less money left than the boy working
on the sarm for SIS or $50 per month.
The farm is the best place. and nine
.. times out of ten the restless boys or
the farm to-day. after a few more
years of observation and experience
l will themselves be convinced of The
, fact. journal of Agriculture.