Year: 1874

The following spicy essay was read at the last
meeting of the Kenneth Farmers Club, by Mrs.
J. Williams Cox;


The resolution offered at the last meeting Of
the Club 'sthat we ought to be more and seem
less" was objected to by some of the members
as being foreign to agriculture. l thought at
the time, could prove that a mistake but af-
ter trying to state my views on paper, find l
have for want Of capacity, utterly failed to make
the points know could have been made, there
fore ask you to receive the following as an es"
say and beg you to choose some other subject
for discussion.


A farmer is one who cutivates the land to be
a farmer one must necessarily live in the coun-
try, but farmers are called "Country People,
not because they live in tho country, but be-
cause they live out of the city. When spoken
Of it is not as of those who are more blest than
others, by being allowed pure air to breath,
wholesome food TO sat, green fields to look upon
etc., etc., but as beings who are rather to be
pitied than otherwise, "Good and kindhearted,
YOU know, but real country" believe Chester
countians are rather more sophisticated than
some others, but we are most of us decidedly
"country folks after all.


A gentleman told me once he always knew
teacher as soon az he looked at him, (though
believe it was a woman he spoke of; we used to
know clergyman by his white oravat without
that we are often able to pick out the clerical
men of a crowd ! imagined can say which is
the NJ d., before hear "Doctor." But that
cash OF these carries tine air OIL MS pfOienhiOn
with him, rather increases than diminishes his
claim to high place in society. That man 3
trade should be known by his knowledge of it
does not seem Objectionable /; but that we should
allow ourselves to be known as farmers. by our
| ignorance, not of our legitimate business, but
of social CUSTOMS laws OF etiquette, etc., stigma
| tised as country people because we cannot speak
| our own language correctly, nor obey at table
such laws as have been adopted by society as
proper to be known by these and many other
| "A chi IN 10
| to the fact of being less cultivated and having
| less refinement, that l object, not TO the mere


circumstance of others knowing that fact.
These are small things, you may say, and ne-


ther make nor mar the man. We mar who has
first been good, and men were born ignorant
children. A farmer las company to dine, he
does not forget to put coat on, for is IT not


more gentlemanly, because more respectful to
his friends. The wife brings silver forks, nap


kins, probably arranges the table more in accord


ance with a certain order all this to seem like


other folks, and show the friends we at least


know how. l think those little things are done


with the hope away down in our hearts that


these strangers will imagine such TO be our GUS


tom. We wouldn't like the children to say


"These are our best dishes, we never use this
or those unless you are here; Mamma let's me


put my fingers in my plate when we haven't


company.


Is it well for us to always give the excuse We
| are to busy for such things would 1t not be al


improvement to prepare rather less for com
, | pany, and make q little more preparation TO


home folks? 1t is what we are and not villa
> we seem to be, which makes mars us after al
, and every little added refinement every littli
, increase of culture, provided it is really takei


into our lives, cannot fail to make lis just tina


much.


) It requires very slight effort, 10 lift thI
hat, don the coat, say thank you, il YOU please


Nc IL requires | say very slight effort to dc
those things at the right time, if they are done


at every right time Surely the ldndest, warm
est hearted man in the world, is more kind am


his warm heartedness il better appreciated,


he is also the best hammered man IN the world


To be the best we can, under all circumstance
il what we are bound to do not the farme
: more than the citizens but il it not true that til
. farmer more than the citizen throws from I'M
all customs, which he considers innovations. an
+ which he thinks take too much Of his yauabl
= time.


We say our fathers and mothers did 80 an
:, so, and would we be willing to so back in every


thing to what our parents did New time
b demand new measures and new men, We a
i know or think that the world not retrogradinl
:, can we not each of us help keep the moyemel
ever onward aud upward. There are those


us who talk better, eat better, in every way bl
= have better, with strangers than when in I'll
IL privacy of our own homes. Ii certain words Al
:, | proper to use, certain others improper, cortai
Ii customs well enough TO conform to- when "
h are in the presence of those whom we care
10 please, would not those customs, that same co
:. rect speech. If adopted into our lives benefit
~ more truly


or 1t is not for Us all to I've great men and W
r men, not even smart men, and men probal
N, even not capable OF much, but it is possible +


all, with more or less eNertion, to be at all tim
rs what we can be at some.