The Somerset reporter., 1908-08-06
Making the Hired Man Paw.

This is the time of year, when, 1t
will, l believe, pay about as well to
look after the comfort Of the hired
man, as of any other source of farm
economy.
With me, beieve it pays, because
of the better quality of work per-
formed as well as Willingness to do
more and with cheerful disposition
about doing it.
1t is commendable and proper to
supply pure, cool water TO the cows
or horses, at regular intervales-that
we may get better results from them.
Similarly, too, it is only proper, in
sending the hired man to the field to
work, in broiling mid summer sun,
to see that he has pail of ice water,
jug of pure water with oatmeal, or
lemon, to favor it, or some refresh
ing drink.
If he is working nearby l find it
pays to carry him small pail of cool
drink of some kind. AS am not a
cider sucker, nor believe that some
sort of strong drink is essential to
hard, steady labor, nothing is ever
said or done to encourage thoughts
on that subject by the hired man.
Many of us, at this Sc son, need all
the work we can get from those
whose labor we hire.
Don't forget, fellow farmers, that at
this season nothing Is more refresh
ing, especially to young man, than
good swim. l have never scolded
my hired man yet because he played
hooky and went swimming. If he
works from sun up till sun down, why
shouldn't he want to have a good
haying, or dusty day of hoeing?
| also find it pays to keep some
good reading matter at hand for Sun
day, holidays, evenings, etc. 1t is
surprising, then, how many hands a
single dime novel can circulate.
My hired man knows he can't have
them about because of the contain
mating effect on my young son. So l
always have on the living room table
books from the town library and
Sunday school.
Speaking of Sunday school, l find
my twenty -year-old hired man will
no longer go to church Or Sunday
school with us. The minister preach
es away over his head about every
thing in general and nothing in par
ticular; while in the Sunday school,
the glad hand or happy smile are two
few and far between. Candidly, |
don't blame him much. as | regret the
attitude of church members toward
their brethren of ''low estate.n
l do not believe there is hired
man worth keeping on a farm, who
will not show some appreciation for
attention to his clothes, on the part of
the farmers wife. l don't believe a
hired man enjoys himself any more
in dirty, sour, sweaty shirt, any
more than his boss would A rip,
sewed in time, button replaced, or
some garment loaned, perhaps, for a
short time, will often work wonders
in keeping the hired mans DISPOSE
ton where we like to see it, NY man
knows that If it storms, and | am not
using them, he is welcome to use my
rubber boots or storm boots.
wouldn't ask him to slush round in
the mud in the light shoes hired men
usually wear at this season.
Now, good farmers wife, don't fool
yourself with the notion the hired
mans stomach can be pinched for
food, or filed with any kind of old
food, to the financial profit of your
self and husband. Feed him well,
give him plenty of the right sort of
stuff to drink, and it will 60 a long
ways toward your husband having a
cheerful, contented hired man.
If with the kindly consideration
suggested above, the hired man is
not willing to make himself agreeable
and do reasonable days work, he
would better be passed along to
where he can find it.
Tolland County, CT. F. H. PLUMB.