Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-07-20
SOME REMARKABLE CHANGES.

Twenty-Five or thirty years have
seen wonderful change in farming
life in Marathon county. This was
called to mind one day recently in an
auto party making tour of the
northwestern part of the county, when
one of the party pointed out farm
On which there were splendid build
ings, and said:
"That place used to be my home
when | was a boy. Oh, no those
buildings were not there at that time.
Our home was a log shanty and it
stood much closer to the road, for the
reason that our clearing did not ex-
tend back as far as that house. l
left the farm without any regrets,
but in spite of the fact that [ have
done fairly well away from the farm,
| do not believe | would leave again
if had my life to live over again
and could be sure of the changes that
time would effect.
II saw the owner of that farm in
Wausau Thursday evening. He
had come in and brought his
family with him. They came in
an automobile. starting after sup
per and getting home in good
OO0cOu W SO w OCus w I'LL 10 IL
was different. The trip to town was
not jaunt of the evening. 1t was
an event in our lives. We did not
come often, and when we did it was
behind yoke of cattle. 1t was a
days journey to Wausau, and another
to get home. The roads were poor
and the cattle naturally slow in trav-
cling. There was little market for
the timber products and it was with
difficulty that we raised enough to
sustain life in ourselves and our stock.
Coffee, real coffee, was luxury we
seldom enjoyed, and we were satisfied
with the plainest fare and the mini
mum of clothing. For the men the
life was not SO bad, but realize now
that the isolation was such as to
have severely tested the courage of a
woman, and when Il look back and
remember the hardships my mother
endured, the lack of companionShip
of those of her sex, the labors she was
called upon to perform, marvel at
her courage and the heroic spirit that
enabled her to cheerfully perform her
duties, often being compelled by the
stress of circumstances to not only
attend to her household duties, but
to take her place in the field and do
mans work. Her compensation
was slight, new dress, and that of
cheap and durable material occasion
ally, and beyond that the conscious
ness of duty well performed. marvel
now to think how happy and cheerful
she was under all these trying circum-
stances.
"Today the homes are the equal of
those in the cities. There is running
water and electric lights in many
houses. The taking care of the milk
is the work of the men and the sep
arator is operated by power. The
home has every convenience. The
great barns are more comfortably
| fitted for the cattle than were our
homes. The clearings have increased
to such an extent that they not only
yield feed for the cattle, but supply
all the needs of the family. The
check from the creamery comes in
| regularly twice a month. The owner
of the old home farm | pointed out
| to you told me that his cream checks
last month exceeded $3.50. Why that
was more money than my father
handled in a year. And this check
he does not have to spend for susie
nance. The other branches of the
farm will take care of that. 1t took
a couple of these checks to buy the
automobile, but its purchase did not
exhaust the bank account. The daily
paper comes to that house every day
by rural route, telephone connects
him with the neighbors and the city,
improved machinery have lightened
his work, his investment is sure and
he need never worry about the result
of his years work. On the table in
the sitting room you will find the
| late magazines. In the parlor you
| will find piano. His children have
received liberal education, an edu-
cation that has made them appreciate
the surroundings of their home life,
and 1 cannot imagine his boys OF
girls yearning for the bright lights
and empty life of the city. Why, nc
| monarch is so we'll situated as the
farmer who has an improved place.
and wish that l had remained on
| the old place. | do now. But in the
light of what it was when / left, ]
think 1 showed good Judgment in
going"