The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-12-16
SOME PLAIN WORDS.
Our Country Homes Should he Made
More Attractive.

More AttraCtivc.
The Southern States Farm Magazine
gives some excellent food for thought
in the following article:
There is nothing that is acting so
steadily and so powerfully to drive our
youth from the country to tho city as
the inattcntion paid by a majority of
our farmers to these little home com
forts and cnjOyments which, while cost
ing but triIle, would invest the coun-
try with Il charm which all the glaring
destinations Of q life in the city could
not break. The study of agriculture
as IL science, II knowledge of the nature
OF the soils, and the adaptation OF the
various fruits and flowers and field
crops to the different qualities Of soil
appeal sufficiently strong to the intel
ectual nature, but in the arrangements
| thaG surround our country places, but
little attention is paid to the idea OF
beauty or pleasure. Ride through the
South and look at the ordinary farm
| houses. If pretontious, they are usual
ly painted glaring white, with two
windows ranged on each side OF the
hall, above and below, that look as
prim and precise as Ouakeress and
as grim as u Put itan. The front yards
are often destitute Of flowers or shrub.
| berry. There arc no pleasant vcrandas
add to tho plcesantness Of the house.
Parlors, II there are any, arc scantily
furnished, under tho impression that
there is no need for such things in the
country, just rs though the girls In the
family would not prize a neat parlor
quite as much as they do neat dress
or dashing beau. Books are scarce,
so that during rainy days or bad
weather the boys have to retire to The
ha nd TO fnr inc
shcll corn for amusement. In tho house
there arc no pictures and no attention
paid to taste or comfort. There is no
flower garden without doors to lend q
fascination TO the sccnc by its fragrance
end beauty no shade trees, no swings,
no croquet grounds, no anything to re-
lieve toll of it's hardships or to make
leisure hours profitable. Stingy and
pcnurious are many such farmers.
They complain OF an inability to do
these things, and yet permit their hire.
lings to go forty or hundsed yards
from tho house to get drinking water
from rickety old well, and so lose
tlmc enough during the year TO work Il
flower garden. Their crbs are placed
on one part Of the farm, their stables
on another. With no Toulouse, the
tools are left where the work is ended,
and when wanted again must bo hunted
up. No woodhousc holds its wealth OF
fuel for wintry days and snowy wealth
er, but the fuel must be dragged up
dripping and saturated with water,
making the paradox possible that be-
fore making Il fir" you must put IT out.
! No wonder there is 81 growing dis
| taste for agricultural pursuits when
such things are permitted No won
! der there arc crowds OF young men
/ Hooking from the country to the city
every year, seeking positions where
. they can enjoy occasional rccreations {.
! Every farmer should take from three
to four good newspapers, encourage O.
taste for reading, note down his farm
experience when he cannot work out
doors, and encourage his sons and
daughters to cultivate the beautiful
and true abut home. Let home attrac.
tions be multiplied. A country place
should charm as much by It's beauty as
by Its fruitfulness-shou be the abode
OF virtue, intelligence and hospitality