Year: 1876

leasurc has arrived. The ground,
saturated with water and the drlz-
zling rains which come down SO cas-.
lily and steadily, afford a chcerlcss
aspect for the man who is anxious to
be at work blowing, clearing land
or attending to the many improve
ments he has in contemplation. lie
must resort to the shelter of his home,
where, if he is wise, he will find
many things both to cheer and COM
fort him, and with which to occupy
the time pleasantly and proftably.
lie will probably visit his ncighbor,
and together they will discuss the
various means and modes for the
conduct of the different branches of
farm industry. At their leisure in
tcrchangc opinions on wheat raising,
cattle raising, road building, and the
necessity Of improving the neigh
borhood school house, or raising
funds to keep longer session of
school during the coming year.
Books and newspapers should now
receive the attention which the labor
incident to the dry season has de-
privcd them, and herein is feast, i'm
deed, to the man intellectual. In
dustriously providing for the material
wants of his family he has for weeks
and months neglected., 20 staunch the
long fast TO which his intellectual


faculties have been subjected; but now


warmly housed from the wintry


wind and weather. he gladly gives


his attention to the finer faculties of
his nature in the sweet and beloved
companionship of the dear ones at


home. Happy is the man to whom
the winter brings prospect like
this, when rejoicing in the posses
sion of reasonable share of the


kindly fruits of the earth, swcctcncd
with his own toll, he halls the COM


ing winter with more of delight than
regret.


Some men and boys must visit the
town, go to the post-oilicc, to the
store or the various places of public
resort, to hear the news and perhaps
to employ the leisure moments in
the indulgence of habits alike hurt
ful to the pocket and the moral and
intellectual well-bcing. All! there
is the rub. The rainy season which
becomes golden opportunity to
some, will, upon the other hand, af-
ford time for taking dangerous H.
ccnscs hurtiul alike to the partcipa-
tor and tho community in which he
lives. This is the time when idle
ness breeds disordcrly conduct, and
idsordcrly conduct produces trouble
and expense. When business is
mostly made for the grand jury and
the courts, and the public peace is
most frequently broken; when the
card table and the Intoxicating cup
inflamc the grosscr passions, and the
youths too old to be longer kept I'M
der home surveillance and too young
to resist the temptations that are
Haunted to catch the innocent and
the unwary are most easily corrupt.
ed and astray. The rainy season,
the season when the sun, according
to the ancicnts, hesitatcd for three
days upon the brink of uncertainty
and then plunged into the regions of
darkness, into the ''bclly of hell" to
ascend no more into the regions of
light until the six months of his
southern course were finished, may
be a profitable, but is often danger
Gus and eventful period. While now
we stand within its open portal,
ready to take upon ourselves the du.
ty of discharging its varied response
bilitics, let US pause to consider what
manner Of stewardship we should
like to render to the court of con-