Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-15


barns are so large and so numerous, and
are told that they are needed for the
storage OF hay to feed the cows and
horses through the long winters. when
the pastures are covered with snow. and
for the same reason a large part of the
land Is given up to meadows. 1t requires
seven &C res Of hay, the farmers will tell
you, to keep one COW through the winter
The barns are connected with the resi-
dences by other buildiEgs-frst a dairy.
then a woodshed, a Toulouse and car
riage house-all opening into the next.
so that the farmer may pass from one to
the other during the winter billiards.
without exposing himself to the weather.
Everything about the farm yards is
neatly kept The houses, barns and other
buildings have all been recently painted;
the fences are I'm perfect repair: the trees
are trimmed in a scientific manner. and
the frequent hedges have been carefully
cut. The contrast in the appearance OF
the New England farms and those Of the
western states is worth considering. and,
as a rule. evidences OF scientific cultiva-
ton are more conspicuous here than on
the farms of the. central states and the
Mississippi valley.
This is perfectly natural, however. be-
cause the soil OF Massachusetts, has been
producing crops for more than two CEN
turtles, while out west the land Is COM
paratively new and does. not require so
much fertilizer nor so much labor. But
there is an important lesson in the COM
parison. which Secretary Wilson OF the
Agricultural Department at Washington
and the faculties Of all the agricultural
schools are trying to impress upon the
farmers of the country-to treat their
land as generously and as kindly as pos
sible and to conserve its nour.shment
with care.
From these little villages that are al
most within sight of each other went out
the pioneers that built up the west The
Brookfields. the Hamptons. the Milburys,
the Brimfields and the Hadleys furnished
the Drawn and the brain that have de-
veloped the wealth and the strength OF
the nation. Indeed, the entire west and
northwest is greater New England.
The western migration Of the sons OF the
Pilgrims and PuritanS people every sec
ton Of the west and northwest and the
Pacific coast They were pioneers and
they bred pioneers. You will find their
sons In every county of every state west
Of the Alleghenies and north OF the Ohio
river. But ii is not necessary to remind
any one Of that fact. The people of New
fact that their forefathers built up this
nation. They have been born and bred
in that knowledge. 1t has been one OF
their most valuable assets, from the land
Sons of Maine Scattered.
At dinner party in Washington sew
eloquent terms the share which the sons
Of Maine had taken in the building up
of this nation. He called attention par
ticularly to the fact that they did not
20 out in colonies like the sons of other
New England state. but went alone,
working with independence and self-re-
lance and demonstrating an individuality
and strength Of character that was not
found in any other race. and still FUR
han. he ova1 MY cog =
tered throughout the north and north
west and could be found in every COM
munty.
Yes, that is true" remarked Secretary
Evarts, who was a member of the group,
81 have noticed that the sons Of Maine
are distributed very evenly throughout
the nation. and like their modesty, there
isn't an excess anywhere.
Each little town in central Massac hu-
sets has it's celebrated sons, and if You
tell you all about them. The village or
Spencer for example. was the birth
place of Elias Howe. the inventor OF the
sewing machine. Not child in the VIII
lage is ignorant Of that fact.
Many of the boys who left their homes
here for other fields of labor and adven-
ture have come back to demonstrate their
loyalty and affection by building libra
ries. town halls and churches, founding
schools and other benevolent institutions
Almost every village has library bear
ing the name of some successful son.
Many of the successful sons have bought
the farms on which they were born, and
bring their wives and children back to
occupy them as summer homes.
The little village of Hardwick. few
miles north of Ware. one of the biggest
mill towns in the state, has recently
fallen heir to the fortune of Calvin Paige.
who was born and reared on a. farm just
l.: II, T. 1f xtan
quietest and quaintest in all New Eng
land
Left New England Farm.
Calvin Paige went to New York from
the farm a raw unsophisticated country
boy, but under his shock of red and re-
beIiious hair were hidden the talents
that have made New England great. He
began at the bottom of the ladder and
went to the top. When he died. in April,
1909. he left q fortune Of more than
81 COO 900, a greater part Of which was
bequeathed to his native town. of which
he was always very fond. He bought
the ancestral farm many years ago and
made it. celebrated for it's cattle. He
had herd Of 300 thoroughbred Jerseys,
whose calves have been distributed
among the farmers Of central Massachu-
sets. He raised fine draft horses also,
and did much to improve the breeds
among the farmers of this part of the
state. No one ever exercised more eff
fective influence upon agriculture in Mas
sachusetts than MIR. Paige. but 1t was
done by example rather than by preach
ing.
Some of the items in Mr.. Paige's will
are significant and suggestive. He pro-
vided fund of $4,000, the interest upon
which is to be used perpetually for keep
ing In order the town cemetery, in which
he lies with his ancestors.
The interest upon $4,000 is to be used
for promoting public worship In the
village
The interest upon $4,000 is to be used
by the selectmen in paying for the edu-
cation Of worthy and promising young
men, natives Of HardWick.
Thirty thousand dollars is bequeathed
TO pay for a water supply for the village.
and the largest item, the sum Of 100000,
is ito be held in trust forever, and the in
terest thereof to be used for the i'm
provement of agricultural pursuits in and
q bout HardWick.'
Mr.. Paige does not restrict the trustees
in details. He leaves them free to use the
income. which will amount to between
s. coo and 5000 year. to pay the ex-
pense of maintaining model and expert
farms. and fnstructiug the young
men of the village how to obtain the
greatest result for their labor.
He endowed the public. schools with
generous gift, and provided a fund to
keep the schoolhouses in good condition.
Few men have ever made better use of
their money.
THE FORBIDDEN Way"