Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-08-23

A reader aud an esteemed scluaInt-
snce, inviting me Ia visit him st his farm
home IN southern New Hampshire. very
mcdestiy adds Ia the Invitation, that j
know Was HEARTFELT, "Ours !. not =
model farm, and there IL nothing To be
seen here more than upon a thousand
farms In New England; hut you would
/ find occupants Who believe that our pro
fc.sion I. the highest aud most pro-
ducti,e NJ that which gives On lie its
value, vet Que that Il poorly understood,
aud gives the desirable things of life la
very exact proportion to the Intelligence
sni perseverance of those who adopt u. ;"
what atext IL this for . sermon The
plaln unprrtepding farm home, W occu-
pied hy people of Intelligence aud pcrse-
,.ran,c. Il the home that give. to life
that which L. lest worth the living.
How many such homes u has bscu my
good fortune Ia know In New England,
home. where all the higher faculties aud
virtue. are cultivated with an honest,
persistent purpose, homes where men
aud women of the very highest type of
humanity are reared. And yet, as my
FREUD writes, the life of the farmer i.
but poorly understood. have an illus-
tration of how poorly In the last even
ing's IIoston l,ecord. Here u is;
"iu the country exchanges u !. notice
able how many city people are buyins
the so-call.d abandoned farms. Not
only for summer homes ar. these pur-
chase- bcing made, but In q great many
Eases for the purpose. of permanent spd
ail.the- year-round residences. II u an
easy way "a live for people Who hsv,
accumulated q little money, but how
dull an existence II u In the winter
months nobody eau spprcclaie except
one Who hs. passed th. winter Ia back
country town"
The writer ~ that paragraph exprc..e.
q sentiment that I expect IL very general
among native resident. of cities aud
large towns. II L. q natural feeling, the
result of adaptation to surroundings.
To one working all day In noise and
confusion stlllness IL sometimes almost
oppressive. =.
Hut country people who have adspt~i
themselves to their surrounding. do not
feel that way aud such expressions a.
th. above are entirely lo-t on them.
The country duilt have llyci Ia u over
sixty year. bat II has never looked dull
"a me. What I. meant by dullnesst IL u
the absence ~ noise, friction, personal
contention. s,rifrS Are these the things
that mskc life really worth living do
not think 81; neither do the Intelligent
f.nncr. 20 the New England black
coun,r, town. think az. Life \. dull Ia
rlty az country where the mind !. In
scti,.. ~l.T. there IL nothing occupying
the mind that I. worth thinking about.
II l. not an easy matter Ia determine
what an a,rrsgr msn u, bat " ] am any
Judge ~ men there u a. much good
.olid thinking going on In the mind oi
10. a,.rsg- occupant of New Englsnd
farm home ss Ia that of ih. city resident
~ corresponding social position. ! hnd
1uli. ~ many of th. higher elias. of
magaglne. IN the country homes a. Ia
a.. yity, ani they are rad aud lent. aud
their ,out.nt. talked over aud thought
over. aud Ia such pcople th, country
hom. l. never dull in summer az winter,
hov.,.r Ear "back" II may hr.
The men and women Who Keep In
touch With the t-.t thought II the
World, Who hook upon life s being
really worth living aud Who try ." make
their live. count the most for thsmselSc.
and for their race, never have much time
"a feel lone.ome or to see dullne-. Ia life
anysher,.-Cor. New England Farmer.