TAKING REINS IN HAND 



with some homestead of his own, or is trying 

 his seed-cast among the Mormons, or on the 

 prairies. All other parties bring only a 

 divided allegiance, and a kind of makeshift ad- 

 hesion to the business; in addition to which, 

 they bring an innocency that demands the 

 supervision of a good farm teacher. 



Such a teacher your foreman may be, or he 

 may not be; if the latter, and he have no 

 capacity to convert into available workers, such 

 motley materials, the sooner you discharge him 

 the better ; but if he have this capacity, and is, 

 besides, so far cognizant of your ownership, 

 as not to take offence at your presence, and to 

 permit of your suggestions — cherish him; he 

 has rare virtues. 



From the hints I have already dropped in 

 regard to the qualities and characteristics of 

 the available "milkmaids" and ploughmen, it 

 will naturally be inferred that I would not be 

 anxious to entertain a large squad of such, 

 under the low-browed ceilings of the country 

 home I have described. 



And here comes under observation that ro- 

 manticism about equality of condition and of 

 tastes, which many kindly and poetically-dis- 

 posed persons are inclined to engraft upon 

 their ideal of the farm life. There is, indeed, 



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