Middletown transcript., 1907-01-05
FARMERS AND CITY LIFE

horses are we'll bred.
FARMERS AND CITY LIFE
Under the caption OF The Real Conn
.ryinamv the Outlook recently published
an article upon the cry Of "back to the
soil, ], Of which we have heard so much
lately. Tie books. says the writer, which
infest the country and It's pursuits and
employment in rainbow tints are written
by people who know nothing about It.
There are many varieties Of country liie,
and some are attractive and some far from
attractive. Theoretically, The country is
far more wholesome than the city. The
air is purer and the Inhabitants are more
commodious aud healthfni. There can.
be no doubt that the country is the best
place to rear strong and healthy children
because they live outdoors in The pure air
great deal and have abundant food.
But on many farms sanitary precautions
are neglected, the air is polluted BY hog
pens near the house, the well often re-
ceiyes seppage from the barngard and the
diet. while abundant, Is not always pre-
pared so as to be wholesome. Still, on
the whole. country life, while it is not as
healthfaI as it mightand should be, is far
more 80 than city life.
Fer the man Of intelligence and healthy
tastes who has abundant revenues, the
country lie is the ideal life. He can live
in a beautiful house amid beautiful sur
roundiiige; he can have cooks and COACH
men and all the help he needs. He can
or vide amusements for himself and his
family, he can engage in outdoor pursuits
and sports, he can have his books and en-
tertain visitors. And then, above all, he
is not tied to the soil. He and his family
can pack their trunks and go abroad or
spend the winter in town. And 50 the
man who has many acres and large
fund in bank can engage in faTning as .
very pleasant occupation He Is able to
pay good wages and ID get The labor he
needs, except possibly domestic help. and
his part of the work consists in supervis-
idn, which he does largely from his saddle
al be rides over the farm. This kind of
faEming however, has almost disappeared.
franklin said that be who BIZ The plow
would thrive, himself must either hold
| DR. drire; and the small farmer and
tenter are generally compelled to do
both. For lasor is very scarce and be
cannot, With wheat At 20 cents bushel
afford to pay very atsractiseiwages. The
small farmer is hard worker. There is
line eight hour law for him and his day is
Efrom dawn to dark. Ii is true that for
Ila good part of the year be has much leis-
ire and can find time to ride 10 the
county towas when he wants TO. But
even III winter, in the leisure season, he
has 10 arise at an early hour TO feed bis
cattle, and ii often bas to be done in q
snowstorsn Or III pouring rain. =
shes farmer iaaeut s debt
and il reasonably prosperous he % usually
coniented 10 remain on the farm. The
trouble about the small farmer is with
his famlIy His sons have gone to
lsehool and obtained a fair education and
have become ambitious As long as they
remain on the farm With their father
there Is nothing for them but farm labor,
| and the returns from that occupation do
not satisfy them. Many years age in the
state oi Ohio two boys we're blowing in q
feld on their father,s farm. The sun rose
/ higher and higher and the heat became
/ more and more oppressive. At last by
common consent they stopped, and one
said 10 the other he Thought there must
be easier way Of making living than by
pluwing. The other suggested that they
try to find out The suggestion was adopt
ed. They unhiiched their horse and that
afternoon left home for the city. Both
LOT them became distinguished lawyers
and earned fortunes This Is the idea
siiich depletes the farms Of the most pro-
missing yontIis and furnishes the city with
their most substantial business and pro-
sional tnen and leading politicians.
Neither are the wives and daughters
content to remain in the ce untry. They
have vast amount Of drlIgery to per-
form. and life on the farm il very lonely.
The constant exodus Of the farm lahorer
fronl the country 10 the city is most
pnfortnnate for country as Kesl is for the
iaborer Tie unskiIIed labores may earn
higher weges ii the city than be can
1in tile country. But lie gets more in
tile country He gets abundant food
ior himself, and bis home, which costs
BIT lIstIes il more comfortable and
healiItnl lie can have his garden, his
pigs and. his poultry. ID tie city his
work Ii more uslfemitfing, and he has
less time for recl eaiion and bis suEround-
iHgs are not nearly 10 desirable. Neither
il the city fit plscs 10 raise his
Oil ifsns But lle aud his Ian1iIy In the
city lave nionslIip, aud when the
i move Is made i return to the country is
i most unusual
a strknge thing Il the universal longing
81 psqlessz ailal men and Others who lave
soiile te the city and have prospered as
sassy advance In life 70 get back to the
country e II seldom that they do not
fetslfns aIld when they do there Is often
dlsapp ppeiaEmeils. and things do not ap-
/ pear es they did long ago The chanss Is
IL the naazl hlsaseIi, bat lie thinks it Is in
tlse country yertheless. the desire to
Est back g the old d8uutry place to end
9gle3s aass . very general Sir Waller
SCOTT refers 70 4 and compares Tile course
pf nla!i tliFougll tie world 10 that of the
hare liiess u started from her lair and
esfe'e eilas ~ ratufnIng % tile nest from
Nslieia she started