No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 727 



best of things, thinking what can't be cured, must be endured, and do 

 it with the best grace j^ossible. Be philosophical, and determine to 

 meet every changing scene in life, be it joy *or sorrow, with a bold 

 front, and alwaj^s keep the idea in view that j'Ou are full and equal 

 partners in every respect and we will hear of fewer dissolutions of 

 matrimonial partnerships. 



In closing, I can give you no better words than were given me by 

 a professor at school, ''Live and act as though you realized that your 

 life is a book of which you can have but one edition. Let each day's 

 actions as they add a new page to the indestructible volume be such, 

 that you may be willing to have an assembled world read it." If 

 you make this the rule of your life, when you come to its close it can 

 be said of you as is inscribed on the tombstone of one of our martyred 

 Presidents: 



"Life's race well run, 



Life's work well done, 



Life's victory won. 



Then cometh rest." 



THE RUKAL HOMESTEAD. 



By HATTIE J WEAVER, Lower Saucon, Pa. 



In traveling through the country, or farming districts, it is very 

 noticeable that some of the homesteads are far from attractive or 

 agreeable, whilst others have the very appearance of comfort and 

 beaut3^ The country folk have as much right to all the modern, 

 conveniences as their city cousins, and they have the advantage in 

 that they have the beauties of nature surrounding them on all sides. 

 The hills and vallej'S, the forest and open fields, the brooks and 

 rivulets all present themselves before the eyes of the farmer and his 

 family and invite them to a full enjoyment of all their beauties. 

 What is grander to behold than the scenery that confronts one on 

 every side; the green fields and the fruit trees decked with their 

 richly perfumed blossoms at one season, the golden harvest swaying 

 back and forth at another, and again as at the present time every- 

 thing covered with the white mantle of the pure white snow. All 

 these beauties of nature can be enjoyed by the rich and poor, the 

 healthy and strong, so also by the weak, infirm and aged. The sweet 

 music of the large number of birds that swell forth their anthems 

 in the early morning dawn, will also, if ones ears are open to their 

 chanting, brighten the long and otherwise weary day of toil. But too 

 often is it the case that one whose eyes are familiar to these scenes 

 from childhood on up and whose ears have so frequently heard the 

 early morning chorus that he does not enjoy them to the fullest ex- 

 tent. If, perhaps, you had never seen the surroundings of your own 

 home and by the rising of to-morrow's sun everything would sud- 

 denly be revealed to you, your joy would be unbounded and your ex- 

 clamations of delight would be very great. Why not then enjoy all 

 these delightful and pleasant scenes which are about you continually. 



