The National tribune., 1896-02-20
CoNYERsATIoN CLUE.

CONyERsATIoN CLUE.
The Girl on the Farm, the New Man, and
Other Topics Suggestive OF Progress and
Patriotism.
OUR RcLL-CAIr.
/ rThe leiiers VS. mean veterans son. v.d. veter.
/ n'soatichter and W. veterans widow: members
/ OF associations will be mark ed s V. and d. vi
Harrison Gordon. Stevensbnrg, Va; John l.
Joosten, Corporal. Co. A, I73d n. Y. Rancher
Mont; Alba w. Shorey, Wagner. Co. q, lltl
Me-, Rancher. Mont; Mrs. A. w. Shorey,
Rancher. Mont: Albert Ha1en, Co. X. 115tll
KY, Bardstown, KY; Ed Grandy. Co. NJ, 9th
Ky. Cav, Bardstown. Ky. Total, 15.302.
THE GIRL on THE FARM.
&C. AND L.H.W.: Now that we are having
so much talk on the new woman" and mar
ried lfe why not change the subject and talk
about the life of the country girl; for is not it
strange that rage after page is written, speech
after speech made on how to keep the boy on
| the farm" while, so far we know. the farmers
/ daughter very seldom receives a thought as to
! her condition. or plan for her destiny.
] am not writing this. however. to give
practical advice to the country girl, but to dis
cover, If possible. her real position.
That she is, and has ever been, hampered by
most serious disadvantages i shall not for a
moment. deny: hut that she at the same time.
i
| conditions, will attempt to show.
Standing around like country girls" has
been used as a synonym for general uncouth-
ness of appearance and manners; and this re-
minds me of ono OF the Gnfairest criticisms
with which she has TO contend. aud that is that
! people generally, and city people especially,
make no difference ia their estimate of the
abilities of the different girls whom fate has
placed in cur farmhouses.
1t is just as fair to judge the social condition
of city by the lond-soiced. oper-dressed,
empty-Aeadcd girls whom one occasionally
comes in contact with on the street, as il is to
judge the country girl by those who make
themselves conspicuous by their general gnor-
auce. In other words. there are country girls
and country girls.
But anyone must admit that the girl on the
farm has had much in the past with which TO
contend. She has lived through years of dark
superstition, which, accompanied by the reign
ing solitude of new country, seems especially
unbearable.
She has had 10 live through dreary years
when hidcous war forced upon her The double
responsibility OF breadmaker and breadwinncr
She has with heroic fortitnde aided the fam.
lily in making pleasant home on the dcsolatc
frontier. Her earnest toll has been required
10 arpease The ravcnous clamorings of long
lived mortgage.
One must not think she has no desires above
the homcly tasks; through all she has bravely
done her part. aud TO crying ambition she has
sung a lullaby.
Yet there has always been a sort of freedom
about her servitude. Toll does not appear TO
her in The form of monster with a timepiece
in ore hand and lash in the other at the
same time grinding with his teeth the threat
that If she is not on time she viii lose her
place.
On the contrary. industry Is 10 her blithe-
some companion. and together they accord
ed 0nbOunded liberty. Not only that. bnt she
has had the companionship the watchfu care
aud tender interest OF those most dear to her.
What if her duties are called homely ones !?
They become beautiful IL well and cheerfully
done
THE PoYAL LINE OF DAVID.
There is view, enchanted by the distance
OF centuries, that shows forth the homeIy gal-
lantry OF a farmer and the cheerful service Of
a maidon. il is rural scene The farm is
situated in most heroic country and its
owner is wealthy. il is said. 1t is harvest.
time; important time OF the year for the
anxious husbandman.
In a waving mass OF barley corn there is a
damsel cleaning She is perhaps trying her
apprentice hand yet she does it so bravely, So
patiently. so carefully, perhaps that we read
with pleasure the command Of farmer Boaz 10
his workmen:
reproach her not; and let fail some OF the
handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them
that she may CLEAN them"
Perhaps the tawny product has been garnered
many times by hands as fair: and who can
afford to smile at or call ignobc the occupation
OF one who becamc The ancestor of the royal
family Of David?
THE MAUDEs AND MARYs.
The sculptured image Of Maud Muller of the
poets fancy WAS an object Of interest TO many
at the late Worlds Fair; but what artist would
ever have thought for a moment OF thus inn
inortalizing the fashionable lady the Judge
married2
These illustrations are not given because the
country girl of today is compelled TO CLEAN or
make hay, but TO show that If the girl exists
whose lot it IS 10 perform similar duties she
may have the pleasing knowledge that her
surroundings, If wearisome, are snperhly pic
iuresque.
Picturesqueness by the way, belongs pecu-
liarly TO the country girl. One has but to read
the +" Highland Mary" Of Robert Burns to see
how he associates with tile personality of his
milk maid sweetheart
" The banks aud bracs and streams around the
castle o Montgomery:
and one feels something Of the enthusiasm of
the poet lover when he declares
There Summer first an folds her robes
And liicre they longest tarry,
For there took the last farewell
OF my sweet Highland Mary
One cannot but acknowledge the difference,
however, ia poetry and reality. For instance,
1 Highland Mary, no doubt, made a charming
picture in quaint Scotch costume. bouyant with
| health, tripping along with her milking pail.
But that WAS more than 100 years ago. The
/ glri In the corplot which runs
This is the maiden so forlorn
Who MIXED tise COW with ilic crumpicd lora "
has our undivided sympathy. No wonder she
was forlorn If sne had 10 milk that crumpled-
horned old cow twice daily. every day in the
year, including Sunday evenings.
Not much wonder, either that she did not
feel above receiving the attentions OF man
| All tatiered aud tornn