California Agriculturist and Live Stock Journal. 



gouofhaUl llciidiug* 



Chats With Farmers' Wives and 

 Daughters — No. I O. 



Economical Young Women. 



t-^^HIRTY-oue young larlies in Wai'saw, 

 Kentucky, have signed a new kind of 

 pledge, which reads : 

 We, the undersigned ladies of Warsaw, 

 desiring by rur example to promote econ- 

 omy and to discountenance extravagance, and 

 thereby lighten in some measure the burdens 

 of our husbands, fathers, sous and brothers, 

 by prudent retrenchment in our household 

 expenses therefore, pledge our words of hon- 

 or, each to the other, that we will not, during 

 the period of one year from the 1st of Jlay 

 1875, purchase any material for wearing ap- 

 parel, the cost of which shall exceed twenty- 

 five cents per yard. And shall further jiromise 

 to observe a strict economy in all our house- 

 hold purtiuances, and cheerfully add by those 

 delicate sacrifices to the general stock of home 

 comforts — too often dispensed with for the 

 frivolous oufside adornment of the bod}' alone. 



Now that has tlie true ring to it and is just 

 what should be done, either singly or in num- 

 bers, by our women of California, whose ex- 

 penses for dress and useless finery astonishes 

 the world. For we have no aristocracy here, 

 compelling a certain style of court-dress and 

 the like. No, our free country is " governed 

 "by the people and for the peoiile" they say. 

 I should judge so indeed, by a peep into 

 fashionable society and its devouring, ab- 

 sorbing, expenditures for dress and style! 

 No poor girl, however refined or delicate her 

 organization, however iuteUigently endowed, 

 or lovely in face and form, can command re- 

 spect, or enter society of refinement and cul- 

 ture or wealth without money, in her own 

 right or her family. She must dress well or 

 wealthy people will not notice her — save with 

 a pitying nod of recognition — and to such 

 an extent is this carried that our women of 

 slender incomes, and moderate brain capacity, 

 find no time for much else besides keeping 

 the household machinery running and plan- 

 ning how to provide against the inevitable 

 wear and tear of clothes for themselves 

 and girls — if they wish to be thought respect- 

 able even. 



Now I ask. is this right, is it ennobling to 

 the race, and are we making the most of our- 

 selves and girls by so doing and living ? 

 While I admit the importance of dress from a 

 physiological standpoint, an economical 

 standpoint and a becoming standpoint, I can- 

 not for the life of me see why our social posi- 

 tion should be measured by our appearance 

 iu dress. When a lady in her silks and vel- 

 vets receives more attention and courtesy 

 from the dry goods clerk, or the judge on his 



'fficial bench, than the s.ame lady in a simple 

 I ilico, (which is true, I have it from good 

 authority) it is about time to look at this 

 question and endeavor if possible to over- 

 come its evils. If our women are to become 



seful and healthful members of society — 

 earning a living and a reputation among 

 nen— they must not be cramped with the 

 railing di-ess skirt, the life destroying girting 

 if the waist, and in fact the all absorbing 

 honghts of what to wear, how to look best. 



&c. Our boys are not troubled iu that way, 

 and though often careless, are still respected. 

 I often ask myself, are we mothers to blame ? 

 for in spite of our example and precept, our 

 six and eight year old girls xcill catch the pre- 

 vailing spirit of the age and beg for trailing 

 skirts, and show every sign of demoralization 

 iu dress — even in play. My only hope then 

 is in combining our strength by numbers 

 and do exactly as the Kentucky ladies are 

 doing, and my word for it, the husbands, and 

 fathers and brothers would soon feel ashamed 

 of their many useless expenses too, and give 

 up .smpking, chewing and drinking, and join 

 fu the general desire to save for some good 

 worthy pnrpose. Only think of the money, 

 time, health and self-respect that could bo 

 saved for the adornment of home and culture 

 of mind by so doing! 



Grandfather's Letters— -No. 2. 



"WIio hatli not loved, bath uot lived. 

 Dear "Jewell" and " Esmeralda :\ — I sec 

 my former communication was not consigned 

 to the waste-papsr box by the editor, and am 

 I to infer from that that he and you want 

 something more from Grandfather to criti- 

 cise? 



If the subject is not as great a success as 

 it might and ought to be, you cannot but ob- 

 serve there is no danger of it's running out 

 and becoming extinct. The coming-in gen- 

 erations are the same in this particular as 

 were the generations thousands of years ago, 

 in spite of any and all adverse circumstances, 

 and the going-out generation, who have had 

 experience, are no way loth to try the old 

 subject over again. Since, then, it is a fixed 

 fact that it was, is and always will be, it re- 

 mains for lis to make it a success, and a good, 

 firstrate one, the best way we can. To this 

 end, I shall adhere to the abnegation plan I 

 started with, and say to myself, were I on 

 the point of starting again on life's great 

 journey, think, ihiak, think. Yes, we may 

 well think thrice and think always when an- 

 other's happiness is committed to our care, 

 dearer than our own — think what her temper- 

 ament and disposition are — think what are 

 her likes and dislikes — think what she has 

 given up to give herself to me — and above all, 

 to so think as to have such a perennial flow 

 of love, as to make self forqotkii in favor of 

 her whom I have chosen. 



To do this we must habilually feel our great 

 responsibility, habitually feel, how should I 

 demean myself by a hasty, ill-tempered word 

 or unkind look, habitually feel the importance 

 of keeping uj^ that suavity of manner, polite, 

 courteous demeanor, so agreeable to all. 

 And are w eto suppose it to be less so to her 

 whom we have chosen above all others to be 

 iu daily contact with? With some all this 

 seems to How forth spontaneouslj', while with 

 others it requires a good deal of careful and 

 continuous cultivation. I take it we shall all 

 be the better for a little timely thought on 

 the subject. 



Ah, this love principle is the fountain 

 from which should flow that which will ever 

 make it a success. This abounds at and pre- 

 vious to marriage; and here again I appeal 

 to the sterner sex, if he is not the first form- 

 ation party to its loss by indift'ereuce or neg- 



'ect, maj'be for want of thought or knowl- 

 edge? We make a great mistake in suppos- 

 ing that all or the chief part is accomplished 

 when the object of our affections is "se- 

 cured." No. Then is but the beginning of 

 the work to make it a life success. Then 

 comes the thinkinq, the dtdng, the abnegation, 

 the earnest eflort to keep the love principle 

 to its full height, and ever have it go on in- 

 creasing. So it may, but not without knowl- 

 edge, thought and care. Indeed, without 

 these, what can bo accomplished in any de- 

 partment of life? To me it seems'most 

 strange that this, of all subjects the most im- 

 portant, should be entered upon iu so much 

 ignorance and want of thought and care. 

 Not that we can expect, in the present condi- 

 tion of things, that perfect success you 

 would desire. But I do contend the stronger 

 sex should be the leaders in the right direc- 

 tion. Alas, they are too often the reverse. 

 But in these things there is no one a more 

 thorough co-operationist tlian 



Gkandfather. 



lomc^tic. 



About Husbands — To the Cals. 



BY JOHN G 8AIE. 



MAN is generally better fiatisfiod when he UaH 

 a good dinner upon bis table tbaii when bie 

 wile speaks Greek.— t^am Jobnson- 



y, JobuBon was rigbt. I don't agreo to all 



Tbe solemn dogmas of tbc rougb old stager: 

 ^Qj"^ But very mucb approve wbat one may call 

 Tbe minor morals of tbe " Ursa Major." 



Jobnson was rigbt. Altbougb some men adore 

 Wisdorti in woman, and w tb wisdom cram ber, 



Tbere isn't one in ten but thinks far morej 

 Of bis own grub than of bis spouse's grammar. 



I know it is tbe greatest shame in life; 



But who among them (save, perhaps, myielf,) 

 Returning hungry home, but asks bis wife 



"What beef, not books, she has upon tbe febelf. 



Though Greek and Latin be the lady.s boast, 

 They're little valued by her loving mate, 



The kind of tongue that husbands relish most 

 Is modern, boiled and served upon a plate. 



Or if. as fond ambition may command. 



Some home-made verse tbe bappy uiaironsbow bim, 

 Wbat mortal spouse but from ber dainty liand 



Would sooner see a pudding than a poem? 



Young lady, deep in love with Tom or Harry, 



'Tis sad to tell you such a tale as this; 

 But here's the moral of it; Do not marry; 



Or, marrying, take your lover as he is — 



A very man, with something of tbc brute. 



Unless he proves a sentimental noddy. 

 With passions strong and appetite to boot— 



A thirsty soul within a hungry body. 



A very man. not one of natures clods, 

 With human failings, whether saint or pinner, 



Endowed, perhaps, with genius from the gods. 

 But apt to take bis ttmi)er from his dinner, 



Familiar Talks — No. 4. 



BY SNIP. 

 GOOD LIVING. 



Dear AGKictTLTnEiST: — Oue of my neigh- 

 bors, afarmers's wife, sets her supper-table to 

 suit ine exactly. Tea, bread aud butter, 

 fruit and plain cake or cookies. Sometimes 

 honey, of which the children are very fond, 

 takes the place of fruit. Never, at any time 

 or under any circumstance, does she put 

 hearty food on the supper-table. The child- 

 ren have their supper bj- five o*clock, are iu 

 bed early and are as healthy as one could 

 wish for, whiie both father and mother are 

 delicate. " I intend, if possible, to enable 

 mv children to avoid the suffering I have been 

 obliged to endure," she said to me one day. 

 I think she is right in maintaining that light, 

 early suppers will form an important part in 



