THE EETIKED FAEMEE 253 



friends, the health and pleasure giving work that 

 is not to be found in the new city home. 



Go into any city or town in the fore part of 

 spring, summer or autumn days, and you will see 

 these retired farmers in their buggies heading to- 

 wards their farms to spend the day. The look 

 upon their faces too plainly bespeaks their un- 

 happiness, and that they feel they are not needed 

 in the city. Nor are they needed there, because 

 they cannot assimilate with the city's life and ac- 

 tivity. Cities and towns need young, active, enter- 

 prising and constructive men. The country needs 

 the experience, advice and the money of the men 

 who would retire from the farm to the city. It has 

 been well said that "a retired farmer is capital 

 going to waste. " 



And yet there is a pathetic side to this question 

 that appeals to us. Too often none but the old 

 folks remain on the farm. The children are gone 

 and the father and mother sit in the old farm home 

 lonely in life's decline. Though surrounded with 

 plenty and to spare, yet they look out through 

 misty eyes into "the orchard where the children 

 used to play," and their " old hearts seem so empty 

 every way" as they dream and dream of their 

 happiest days when their children were young and 

 were all in the old home nest. But it is even 

 better to sit in lonesomeness and dream your lives 

 away with your old friends, mid the scenes of your 

 tenderest associations than to add to your heart- 

 aches the misery of the lonesomeness and solitude 

 you surely will find in a new home in city or town. 



Many retired farmers say they want to go to 



