Daily Kennebec journal., 1896-01-24

contrary, they were pure, well conducted
magazines, and with much that was adj
mirable in them But their suggestions
were almost entirely in cne direction, and
they frequently fustcred ambitions com
patiblc only with wealth and leisure, not
only, but enervating and mistaken ideas
of life and Of responsibility. And the
point of the criticism was, that they dis
placed something better, and even created
Il positive distaste for 1t.
| Mrs Amiabella thought that the
danger with farmers families all the
more obvious, because they were brought
into less frequent contact with larger
| idcals and more stimulating and worthy
examples, was that they would mistake
what was trivial and transient in its ad-
vantage for what was real and end uring
| that the farmer should regard money get
| ting, and bis family an easy, fashionable
and snowy style of living as the thing to
| be sought, and rs constituting "sncceSs. "
| And that therefore the sons and daughters
would miss their real brthright, the solid
possessions of character and knowledge
and real usefulness which ought to be
theirs, and which their lives afforded in
some ways, the surest opportunities for
acquiring, The farmer and hia house
| hold, more than most others, were
| brought into association with real things
| they could take nature and life and men
| as they are They had less temptation
than most Others to artificial and false
distinctions, and more and even cOmpell-
| ing influences toward genuincness of
character aud attainment In many
| cases, they bad but to take their environ
mcnt mt its best. and he willing to bear
with its necessary deprivations and to put
forth, also, some manful endcayor to
| bring it into some elements it plainl.
| lacked, to make their lot all anyone
| ought to desire
| No one had anything to add to this,
| and the meeting adjourned,
But the more think about it, the more
| am persuaded that mere generals zation
| Is quite inadequate to bring about IA
better understanding of the problem oil
New England country life, to alleviate its
ills, or supply its deficiencies. The New
England farm and farm life are not what
| those who describe it most faithfully
picture it as being. The reality is not
what even Miss .Icwett prints it, nor
what Miss wilkins believes it; not what
THE Traveller from Altruria' found ;
not what the older story y-tellers have made
| the setting for the incomprehensible New
England character. Nor is 1t even the
composite obtained from all these rep
| resentations.
1t differs greatly from itself within
| radius of ten miles, even within two OF
three miles, going from town, or coming
into region of marked characteristics.
Neighborhoods differ, and families and
households of course vary. In the real
country, old and new follow and iostle
each other in the most incongruous and
| amusing fashion. The latest in sleeves
elbows the coat that has weathered many
a March, and the shawl that has seen SO
many variations it has ceased to be con
scious of or even to betray its own
priority, for 1t has been coeyal with them
all. In kitchen and pantry, clumsy and
substantial utensils hobnob with late
labor saving contrivances. Beside the
new reaper, or corn planter, or banner
wagon, is stored the ancient q carry all,
the antique sleigh, the plough that seems
| Il survival from the Stone Age.
In church or schoolhouse. you will
hear, one Sunday, the venerable suporan
uate, of most primitive and literal ortho-
doxy, and the next a travelling preacher
| self made, y unschooled yet, he would
have us believe, divinely and unmistak
ably called While on the third anC
fourth, perhaps, comes some earnest
young student, with the dew Of consecra
tion yet upon him, and in his words tn,
enthusiasm, the suggestlveness, the sub
stantial truth, the close and vigorous
application of holy principles to every
problem and phase of life, of our vital
present day Christianity.
For amusement, if 1t come in at all
you may be hidden this week to a school
exhibition; next to a "quilting;' ano
again to a "lawn party with tennis
| and croquct And of them all, you ask
why not:' There are some things you
would not lose if you could; some that
you cannot leave behind, if you would be
rid of them We must needs take the OLD
and the new together, happy If in any
wise we can "hold fast the good whilt
making proof of all,
There is one factor in village and rural