The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1900-03-15

CumStanCeS in their favor. on may
Judge man more truly by the books
he reads than by the company he
keeps; for he can choose his books
while his associates are in a manner
imposed upon him. The facilities
which we have at this day to be up
to date on all questions we owe to
the printing press and through it
the efficient farm journals scattered
broadcast over our land. We would
not have a very exalted opinion OF a
lawyer or physician or man in any
of the callings who would go into his
business without due preparation.
reading all the works treating of his
chosen profession: and no greater
opinion should we have of the farmer
who is not up to date or at least does
not make an effort to be.
Too many people have the idea that
all the reading farmer needs is his
farm journal. Why. they tell us all
about underground drainage, soils
and all the late reports from expert
ment stations and the like, besides
giving US reliable information on
stock, poultry and in general all that
pertains to the farm. The farmer
should not only read such literature
as treats of his speciality and be in
terested in nothing else. A young
farmer once gave his reason for COM
ing back East that he could not live
in the West and become a farmer.
For he said there swine was the farm
er's greatest pride and it was consid-
cred no disgraceful ornament to have
a hog-yard alongside the front door
yard. and he observed that those men
would raise pork, talk pork, read
pork, think pork, eat pork and would
themselves become quite hoggish.
If every farmer who has boys would
carefully study the natural tastes of
each and provide such literature as
would tend to educate in the line of
his choice, it no doubt would go long
ways toward solving the vexed prob
lem of why the Boys Leave the
Farm" Not all farmer boys should
remain upon the farm. AS has al
ready been stated, men who have
taken the first rank in every calling
have had their birth upon the farm.
But one truth cannot be too often re-
iterated that the literature found in
the home while the minds of the chill
dren are easily moulded will largely
control their influence and usefulness
in maturer years.
If anyone should delight in the
reading of Wordsworth, Longfellow
or Bryant it should certainly be the
the farmer. They teach us the sem
timents in words, sky, hills, fields and
flowers. The power of outdoor life is
growing upon us. We look to it for
health and it furnishes material for
more and more of our good reading
and with the love of Nature, love for
her writers will increase. We read
from Wordsworth: ''And to him the
meanest flower that blows can give
thoughts too deep for tears" We love
to read viii Carelton's farm ballads
and Whitcomb Riley portrays the
poetry of times as when the frost
is on the pumpkin vine and the fod-
der's in the shock"
. Why is it we do not enjoy our sur
roundings more? We have spread
out before us panorama of the most
! hna,,tifnl nj i.-l s
canvas with only one-half of their
perfections we would think marvels
of beauty. Artists go into the coun-
try for their models and choose those
which are nearest to nature. Why
: cannot we enjoy them? How many
, farmers ever stop to look at the sun.
: rise, to hear the birds sing or listen to
the whispering of the leaves.
! 1t is SAID that naturalists are peo
/ pie of great longevity. 1t is condu-
l else to health and happiness to be
closely associated with Mother Ma
' ture. Who has better opportunity
| to teach his child about the birds
4 trees, plants, sky and many Other
: wonderful things, than the farmer
: We speak of Natures common things;
6 Yes, common in sense
And yet in law sh richness
4 Give the fullest recompense.
Other life is artificial
Giving faulty light aud shade:
7 But thtrs's nothing like the beauty
: God in Natures realm has made
t One of our writers has said "Ths
S beauties of Nature turn the mint
away from irritating thoughts t6
d something better = the Author ant
k Giver of all these beauties"
i Let us live not merely in an atmos
: phere of dollars and cents. But lei
e life take on higher aim and be file,
/ with the thoughts of the noble ant
: true. You may leave your child Z