The Nevada County picayune., 1908-08-20
How | Saved My Boys.

road man. died in a neighboring State I was left a widow with eight little ones. six boys and two girls.
 Being far from the land of my birth and what kindred I had, decided to return 10 my old hone, a thriving city of South Carolina My husband own ed some town property at this nlace' and fortunately had house untenant- ed at the time. So, after settling my affairs. l moved my family there.
 Only those who have experienced it know what a sad thing it is for the widowed mother and grieving wife, who has to gather her little brood around her and make new nest. A new nest. a new home, alas, where there se father to love. guide alright and protect from all harm l resolved with God s help To raise my little ones 10 be credit 10 that dear father who had gone on before.
 With heavy heart l tried 10 be cheerful and make home plesant for my children My eldest son went to work in an office, and the others, with the exception of my two youngest, were sent to a good school. A year or two passed and my second son decid- ed that he too, would go to work. or all things he wanted to farm Just think of it. seyenteen-year-oid boy, reared in town. where we could not have garden. How can you farm, son. asked, with no experience and no one 10 reach VOL? To please him l rented a few acres near town. which he planted in corn and peas. Our home plot he put ill cotton, potatoes and vegetables l will not go into de- tails. but with the aid of q good farm journal he made his first erop--a far crop of corn. fine pea hay, q bale ot cotton. fifty bushels of potatoes and plenty of vegetables. This success i'll a small way fired his ambition SO boguht small farm seven miles from town
 That year proved bad crop year. still he made expenses and cleared little money. In the meantime found that my little boys at home were growing away from me In spite of my efforts to preyent, they were get ting in bad company and would go on the streets. When could induce my l boys tu stay home the neighbor boys, good and bad. dropped in. l soon realized that unless some decisive step was taken my bows were in fair way 10 be ruined But what 10 do l could not decide one day, while at the farm. kept thinking. What eaH ] do 10 save my boys?'
 As sal there my idle gaze wander l ed over the quiet fields and green woods. All al once il flashed into my mind that here was the solution 10 my problem Then and there l decided to sell my home in town and build me a nice home on the farm. My friends protested, You will be ruin ed. You cant farm. You won't like the country" Every one tried 10 dis courage me, bur l kept 10 my deter mination
 Today I have a nice home Of uiLo rooms, ten foot yerandas with colonial columns It is finished and as com fortable as any city home Ny child ren have a new piano, graphophone rtc.
 l am not making barrels of none but am doing fairly well with the farm. 1 am running three horse farm this year and am independent of labor as I have four boys large enough 10 work
 l have fine vegetable garden and an acre in sweet potatoes have seven fine hogs and a pair of register ed Borkshires 10 raise from, and Us fine a mule colt as there is in tEe country l make plenty of milk and butter and have an occasional beef ta sell. Have lots of nice chickens. foebs of geese and ducks, turkeys, etc | like thc country Country life | think l inc finest lu the world But better than all find that my little boys | are mine aaain There is no mischief | for them 10 get into When there is no farm work to do, they go fishing or 10 that haven of delight for small boys. l the wash hole" Some days they hunt | berries and plums. l am never wor- ried about them. nor wonder what they l are doing When night comes every | little sleepy head is ready for bed. II is such a comfort to have them all | to myself. as 1t were. We have a fine school near us and this fall want to send my eldest daughter to college. The little boys have their friends from town occasionally. They enjoy this
 They work cheerfully and seem to take as much interest in every thing as l do myself
 So I may say that home in the coun try has proved a success in every sense | Of the word. am thankful for the sweet privilege of making country | home
 
 The United States has 15OOO new ff