Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-09-27
More Leisure on the Farm.

MORE PLEASURE IN ACTION THAN 1!
IDLENESs - MISDIRECTED LABOR
EFFICIENT WORK, RESULT OF INTEL
LIGENT PLANNING-LooKING AHEAD
Tell me how to have more leisur
and you will have solved what I hav,
found to be the greatest problem o
life," said hard working farmer to
neighbor as he came to make call an,
talk over matters of mutual interest
Doubtless great many people in all tn
walks of life have had a similar thought
Few persons find the world all sun
shine, but some are apt to forget wha
there is and remember sadly only tn
storms and clouds. To most of us lif
is pretty constant struggle, but to
healthy, well balanced mind action give
far more pleasure than idleneSs. TIL,
most discontented people l have known
are those who have little to do except t,
contrive ways for amusing themselves
Labor intelligently directed is never
curse but always blessing. Sunshin,
is blessing, but like the rain it falls OF
all alike whether just or unjust. Blu
not all are equally prudent and thought
full in regard to ways and means for tax
ing advantage of the blessings PLACED
within reach by Nature. Too mucl
rain may drench our lands and rende
them unfit for cultivation, and yet i
they had been properly drained the rail-
would have been an unalloyed blessing
Long continued sunshine may dry some
of our fields To the injury of crops, bu
il we had turned that surplus water int
system of irrigation the crops woult
never have known the need of NOR,
moisture. Ii is misdirected labor tha
leaves SO many persons with little or NJ
leisure. We all of us have known mel
who are always behind in their work
They are planting when they ought tC
be tending growing plants, and they are
hoeing their cops when they ought tC
be cutting an curing their hay. Theil
potatoes get frozen in the ground and
the corn is still unhusked when the snow
makes work anything but pleasant
Efficient work is always the result OF
deliberate and intelligent planning
People who would have more leisure
should learn to use their head more and
at the same time that their hands are
busy. A man who cannot work and
think at the same time is hardly q
whole man. once had a carpenter
working for me who could never answer
q question or hear suggestion regard
ing the work without dropping his tools
and turning round and leaning up
against the bench. also knew wheel,
wright with the same habit. | suppose
we have all seen such men. Sometimes
they may be found on the highways
with pick and shovel, or among tine
sDowbanks in winter. IL is never quite
cold enough to make them keep at work
while there is talking to be done. Such
men have work when good men are
scarce, but not at other times. They
have more leisure than is profitable for
themselves.
There are housekeepers who are
equally troubled about having time
enough for doing their regular daily
work. There are others who accom-
plish quite as much but are never appar
emily in hurry. They plan carefully
and have a system and follow it. 1t is a
pleasure to meet such people. If they
can lay aside their work to talk they
may do so but if not convenient to do Sc
they will talk and work at the same
time. When you call on such person
you do not feel so much like an intruder
Profitable labor in any line of business
requires thought, planning how to dc
and when. \ successful farmer must
be constantly looking ahead, not only
to-day aud tomorrow, but for nex'
month and next year. 1t is this neceS
sity for looking ahead that has made
the boys brought up on country farms
so successful when engaged in larger
undertakings in the cities and in the
world at large.
Seeds planted to-day do not bring :
harvest till weeks or months ahead, ano
in some cases not till many years have
passed. If you want to have eggs plenty
in late fall and early winter you mus
start the hens to sitting early In the
spring. If you do not want to stop il
having time to get the moving machine
repaired YOU must look it over before
hand and get the needed parts in adj
vance. IL you do not want to be cutting
wood at the door for the kitchen stove
all summer, then see to 1t that fui
years stock is laid up during the winter
when a farmers time is not usually
worth full price. 1t was an excellent
rule of one of my neighbors to mend his
sleds in summer and his carts in winter
Then they were always in order when
most needed. A farmer who has t.
purchase grain for his stock should
keep his credit good enough so that he
can Law in quantity when the roads are
good and not have to haul it in half-load
lots or 90 without. There is no better
way to keep credit good than to pay
cash down and it costs no more and
often less than if time is asked for.
One had better be to some Inconvenience
in order to start on a cash basis. Doing
with less at first will probably enable
YOU to buy far more literally later on
Wholesale rates are always below retail
rates and one should get the advantage
of the former whenever possible. In
telligent planning with strict integrity
will accomplish much in this direction
| once knew a school teacher who said
that if he were given an example to dc
in arithmetic and had a limited time IL
which to do it he would take part OF
that time in thinking out the shortes
way of working it out. This is only al
Illustration of the value of thinking an6
planning work and business in order t.
have a reasonable amount OF leisure
The man who most thoroughly learn:
his trade, whatever it may be, will b'
the one who has the most leisure for hi
will know of the best and quickes
ways of doing things. The boy wh'
takes a course of training at the agri
cultural college or school will always
have an advantage over him who has L
get all his knowledge by experience
The man who takes and reads number
of good agricultural papers will always
have more leisure than his neighbor wh'
has no thoughts but his own to aid hin
in his work. Most people would hav'
more leisure if they would make bet
ter use of the time they have. WASTED
time can never be recovered. Ii is a
wicked to waste time as to waste wealth
Such SHINING brings its own just punish
ment,-poverty, .slavery.-No surplus
means, no leisure.-A. w. Cheever IL
New England Farmer.
In my reading the other day raj
across an old Latin proverb which trans
lated into English means that 1T ii
easier for an ass to deny statemen
,hslAcAnhar N II