1889.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 249 



gramme, took into consideration the fact that the people 

 who would come here are following different specialties. 

 He has given us quite a number of short papers, which have 

 been follow-ed by pointed remarks and discussions. He also 

 remembered that all the homes represented here have in 

 them wives, and, perhaps, daughters ; so he has arranged to 

 have a lady read an essay before the Board for the first »time 

 in many years. It gives me great pleasure to introduce to 

 you Mrs. George R. Chase of Medfield, Mass, who will 

 speak to us about " Farmers' Wives and Daughters." 



Mrs. Chase was greeted with hearty applause as she came 

 forward to the platform. And, before reading her paper, 

 she said : — 



The invitation to read a paper at this time and place was 

 a thorough surprise to me. I tried to think what qualifica- 

 tions I had for the work, and could count but three. 



All my people, as far back as I have any record, have been 

 farmers. It has been ni}'^ great good fortune, especially of 

 late years, to become acquainted with many Massachusetts 

 farmers and farmers' wives. I have a sincere and deep love 

 for the country and country life. 



Standing here as I do to-day, I feel that I am, in some 

 sense, a pioneer. If the path I hew be rude, much must be 

 forgiven, because it is the first. 



I ask you to believe that the people whom I present to you 

 to illustrate certain points, are real women whom I know. 



FARMERS' WIVES AND DAUGHTERS. 



BY MRS. GEO. R. CHASE OF MEDFIELD. 



Thankful and Desire, Mercy and Content, Dorothy and 

 Priscilla, were farmers' wives. Brave, devoted, uncomplain- 

 ing, their very ^ames make us remember that first dreary 

 winter spent on the coast of Massachusetts, — a winter dark 

 with hardship, privation and danger ; bright with w^oman's 

 loving sacrifice, industry and hope. 



A century and a half later, New England farmers' wives 

 provided food and clothing for their little ones, tilled the 

 farms and guarded the red-coated cows from the red-coated 

 marauders, while their hero husbands were winning inde- 

 pendence for them and for us. 



