The Monitor-register. [volume] (Woodstown, Salem Co., N.J.) 1892-1972, 1896-02-28

Of mind, and he meant that we should all
rightly use them.
A lawyer, in order to succeed, must
study faithfully at his business A
farmer, in order to succeed, should know
the best process for that which he under
takes. Is it not because farming is not
made as systematic as many of the other
trades, that our educated young men do
not stick at the occupationP Or is it
because the time seems to have already
gone by when financial success attended
the farmer? Better the honest and
peaceful life on some farms than the
allurements of more attractive occupa.
tions.
The time has already come for action.
Too few of our energetic young men
realize the Importance of having we'll
equipped, productive farms. Fathers,
are you sure that 1t is not your faults
that your sons deserted the old homestead
in the very prime of their vigor, when
they should have made lighter the burden
of yonr older age? Have you made
every endeavor TO make farm life attrac.
tive and agreeable to your childrenP 1t
is undoubtedly true that there are duties
on every farm that cannot be pictured as
anything but hard realities, but these are
the things that should be reserved from
the children. Hundreds of cases have
been recorded where boys have been SO
taxed in their childhood upon the farm
that their whole after life has suffered
from it. Even our well. known poet,
Whittier, worked SO much beyond his
strength when boy upon the farm that
it caused him many an hours suffering
in later years.
They who are brought up to work in
proportion to their strength are the ones
who accomplish infinitely more in man.
hood. At the present day in many east
ern localities, the younger generation,
seeing no hope of advancement in farm
life, have given up the occupation. They
have given over many of our best farms
to lower Glasses of Americans and aspir.
ing foreigners. What is the result ? The
standard of farmers is lowered, their
reputation suffers severely, and the prices
of commodities is brought to the lowest
ebb. believe that fifty years ago we
were nearer to that ideal farm life than
we are to-day. What grand occupation
it is! How hale and hearty are our
grandparents for having lived for so
many years in close proximity to the soil
of our earth. There they have been
brought into knowledge of nature, and
have been able to look through nature up
to natures God. And l believe there
| would be vast improvement in the
average population to-day if the people
would go forth into the harvest field,
labor with their hands, feel the honest
Precipitation on their brows, and see tina,
in order to reap abundantly, we mus
| first SOW with bountiful hand.
But what does ideal farm life mean Z
Does the life on the farm take into con
sideration the harvest, the cattle, the
buildings and machinery, or does it trea,
them as means to far nobler end
We can speak of ideal life 10 any occu.
patton, but is it not record Of tn
thoughts and deeds of human beings
In considering farm life, we speak of .
life that is often far above all others il
its grandeur combined with simplicity
its earnestness combined with love.
| In order to consider what kind of live
may be lived on the farm, let us paus,
awhile and follow in our mental visions
two pictures. In certain part of New
Jersey, see long winding road. and il
the distance wagon is just turning intt
view from beyond the hill. Nearer tht
team is approaching, and it turns into q
long shaded lane leading up to stately
old Homestead. In the wagon is seated q
young couple, newly married, just enter
ing upon life's journey together. They
have returned from their wedding trip
and are now going to settle down upon q
good old farm not very far from the
homes of their childhood. Let us call
them John and Mary. John is sturdy
fellow with activity displayed in his
whole being, while Mary though
apparently frail, contains that in bel
countenance which makes her In every
way qualified to be his h elpmate.
Now they are entering the house and
taking formal possession of that which is
to become theirs in truth at some future
date.
While they are in the house, let us
take look over the farm; 1t contains
about two hundred acres, extending from
the public road to stretch of woodland
back of the meadow. The old frame
barn which stands somewhat back of the
house. is sadly in want of repair, but
numbers of we'll kept cattle are grazing
peacefully under the shade Of its gables.
1t is early spring, and erythinR
seems to be running over with life and
action. On the topmost rail of the barn.
yard fence, old chsnticleer is giving a
hearty welcome to his future master
Sheep are skipping about on a neighbour
ing hill, while from their stalls, the
knowing horses are already calling fol-
their dinner. From the boughs of the
stately old maple by the spring come
the cooling notes from the newly.arrived
robin, who is selecting his abode for the
summer.
The sight in every direction betokens
thrift and comfort. So this is to be the
home of the people we have just admitted
to their dwelling. This is the place
where they have cast their lot to work
dutifully together.
Years have swiftly passed over their
heads and we now find them older grown,
and perhaps wiser. The beautiful farm
is almost paid for, and John is anxiously
looking forward to the time when it will
all be his own. Mary, no less ambitious,
has stood by him in these years of labor,
doing her part toward saving. A family
is growing up about them. Three SONS
have come to grow up on the farm, and
perhaps some day own it. But what has
gotten the matter with John of late, for
ne seems little more stern than usual.
10 the long winter evenings by the fire.
side, he sits in the rocker with his feet on
the hearth, reckoning accounts In his
head, while Mary has almost become out
of patience with him for not giving more
attention to her and the children. So