No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 653 



HOME LIFE IN THE COUNTRY 



MISS ELIZABETH FISHER, Sdinsgrove , Pa. 



Josh Billings says "A farmer is the Doblest work of God. He 

 rises at two o'clock in the morning, burns out half a cord of wood, 

 and two lots of kindling, and then goes out to worry the geese and 

 stir the hogs." 



There is scarcely a man or woman who does not have ideals of 

 life. Some paint for themselves pictures upon the wall of fancy's 

 temple most wonderful to behold, gorgeous in color and romantic in 

 outline, but of no practical value to themselves, and a laughing 

 stock to the world, could the eyes of man but gaze upon them. Other 

 rear for themselves structures of most remarkable grandeur, things 

 beautiful to dream about or to tell in story books, but so far beyond 

 the reach of any human being that the dreamer grows discouraged 

 in trying to attain the phantom ideal and ends in disappointment. 

 Others place their ideals in places foreign to their present position in 

 life, and so are never satisfied with their own lot. If they live in the 

 country they sigh for the city home with its conveniences, and should 

 they be suddenly placed in the city they would soon pine for the 

 green fields, the blossoms and singing bird? which enchant the old 

 home upon the farm. Others lay their homage at the feet of the 

 practical goddess, or they can see the ideal only in that which gives 

 to them wealth or position. Others seek comfort and dress their 

 dreams in robes of exquisite luxury, culture and refinement, think- 

 in^f only of pleasure and gratification of self; while again some who 

 seem to have caught the true idea of life, are satisfied with a life 

 of usefulness and strive to comfort others. 



Thus we might continue to enumerate dreams and ideals, but we 

 hasten to speak of the country home and life there. Does it in any 

 way meet our ideals, or is it but a place of existence and drudgery? 

 Let us first look at the home itself. It may be a mansion of colonial 

 architecture or a low cabin, a palatial residence or an ordinary farm- 

 house, built especially to be useful and convenient to the owner of 

 the land. For our purpose we shall try to confine ourselves to the 

 latter and more ordinary type of country home. In nearly every 

 case you will find the house a scene of work and hurry, but in many 

 cases the scene of absolute contentment, if such a thing can be said 

 of humanity. The rooms are not numerous, but each has its 

 specific use, and quite frequently one who is observant could learn 

 most valuable lessons in economy by spending a day or so in a well- 

 regulated farmhouse. There is no need of profuse decoration; that 

 is all well enough in the parlor, but rigid cleanliness is made to add 

 a sweetness and cheer which is often lacking in more elaborate homes 

 where curtains, bric-a-brac, etc., i« allowed to collect dust in places 

 not easily reached by the housemaid. 



The environment of the ordinary country home is worthy of some 



