38 METHODS IN TEACHING 



work seemed easier. As the farmer loves his wife, he is 

 just, generous, and tender toward her. After Whittier de- 

 scribed this home he said, 



" I know too well the picture has another side." 



Then he thinks of away back and describes a bad, dirty 

 home. The people are well off but they are so stingy and 

 selfish that everything seems uncomfortable and they grow 

 old before their time. There is no love or beauty or har- 

 mony in their home and nothing seems happy as in the other 

 home. They have no flowers, trees, or vines around and 

 the only things growing are weeds and burdocks, because 

 they grow without cultivation. These people do not notice 

 anything beautiful, as the turning of leaves in October, the 

 sparrow's and bobolink's song, the beautiful hills, the woods, 

 and the sun and flowers. 



They go to church because they are afraid of the unseen 

 Powers, but when it comes to pay pulpit-tax or pew rent 

 they grumbled. 



The walls of the house were blistering in the sun, because 

 there were no vines or trees to shade them. Instead of cur- 

 tains, rags were stretched across the window panes. There 

 was confusion in the kitchen and the floor was not washed, 

 the only times it was cleaned was with a broom. The best 

 room was like a cellar and as it was always shut up from 

 the air it was damp and suffocating. There were no books 

 in this room and the only picture was that of an old green 

 haired, peony cheeked woman sitting under willows that 

 couldn't be recognized. 



The women that lived here were always complaining and 

 quarreling and the men were cross and sullen. These peo- 



