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PHASES OF FARM LIFE. 249 



removes him farther from the soil, and partly to the 

 growing distaste for the occupation among our peo- 

 ple. The old settlers our fathers and grandfathers 

 loved the farm, and had no thoughts above it ; but 

 the later generations are looking to the town and its 

 fashions, and only waiting for a chance to flee thither. 

 Then pioneer life is always more or less picturesque ; 

 there is no room for vain and foolish thoughts ; it is 

 a hard battle, and the people have no time to think 

 about appearances. When my grandfather and grand- 

 mother came into the country where they reared their 

 family and passed their days, they cut a road through 

 the woods and brought all their worldly gear on a 

 sled drawn by a yoke of oxen. Their neighbors 

 helped them build a house of logs, with a roof of 

 black ash bark and a floor of hewn white ash plank. 

 A great stone chimney and fire-place the mortar 

 of red clay gave light and warmth, and cooked the 

 meat and baked the bread, when there was any to 

 cook or to bake. Here they lived and reared their 

 family, and found life sweet. Their unworthy de- 

 scendant, yielding to the inherited love of the soil, 

 flees the city and its artificial ways, and gets a few 

 acres in the country, where he proposes to engage in 

 the pursuit supposed to be free to every American 

 citizen the pursuit of happiness. The humble old 

 farm-house is discarded, and a smart, modern coun- 

 try-house put up. Walks and roads are made and 

 graveled ; trees and hedges are planted ; the rustic old 

 barn is rehabilitated; and, after it is all fixed, the 



