338 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



domestic ^Department. 



The Fate of Nations dependent on Mothers. — 

 Tlie destiny of a nation is shaped by its character ; 

 and that character, the aggregate character of all its 

 individual citizens, will ever be found to be moulded 

 chictiy by maternal hands. Each mother may seem 

 to do very little towards such a result ; but the mil- 

 lions of mothers in a whole country must, with in- 

 evitable certainty, leave their own impress upon its 

 general character and destiny. 



I remember hearing, more than ten years ago, an 

 anecdote quite in point, which strongly impressed 

 this truth on my mind. We all know too well the 

 comparatively ill success of the republics at the south 

 of us. From one of these republics in the northern 

 part of South America, a gentleman of high social 

 and political standing there, a sagacious statesman, 

 and a thoughtful, anxious patriot, who mourned over 

 the bad results of the experiment made by his own 

 country in the work of sell'- government, came to 

 ours, for the purpose of leisurely examining our in- 

 stitutions, and of ascertaining, if possible, the true 

 secret of their success, and of our great national 

 prosperity. 



My informant reported to me the result of this 

 gentleman's observations in two cases. He attended 

 one of our military musters, and on witnessing the 

 general spirit of the scene as indicative of a popular 

 passion for arms, and especially the eager, enthusias- 

 tic interest of the young in the passing pageantry, 

 he turned to his companion, and very emphatically 

 said, " That, sir, will ruin you. It is the passion of 

 the people for war, and their reliance on the sword 

 to carry their points, which has been our bane and 

 ruin in South' America ; and, unless you check it in 

 season, it will prove your ruin too." He knew not 

 the counteracting influences silently at work through 

 the land ; but he soon had an opportunity to catch a 

 passing glimpse of them. 



This accomplished stranger, a Roman Catholic, 

 visited New Haven, Ct., and was present at an even- 

 ing party, where were gathered the tlite, gentlemen 

 and ladies, of that well-known centre of learning and 

 social refinement. There was nothing in the appear- 

 ance of the men to excite surprise, or special atten- 

 tion, for he had seen others of similar accomplish- 

 ments ; but the character of the women, the position 

 they held in society, and the influence they were so 

 obviously qualified and permitted to exert, struck 

 him with such admiration and delight, that on re- 

 tiring from the scene, he exclaimed, " I've found it 

 now. I have ascertained the secret of your success 

 in self-government, prosperity, and greatness as a 

 republic. , Yo>i owe it to your women. I never saw 

 the Uko before. Suck mothers must, and no others 

 can, make a nation like yours. Give us, in South 

 America, such women for mothers, and we should, 

 ere long, follow hard alter you in the race of national 

 prosperity and happiness." 



Well did Najjolcon say to Madame de StaOl, 

 " France wants mothers." Yes, every land, the 

 whole world, " wants mothers ; " mothers of the 

 right character and influence. Liberty, religion, 

 almost every thing for time and eternity, depend, 

 under God, very much on what they are, and what 

 they do. Our world can be neither redeemed, nor 

 reformed, nor saved from ruin, without mothers, good 

 mothers ; and every improvement in their character 

 is one of the surest possible guarantees for the gen- 

 eral improvement and welfare of our race, through 

 all coming time. — Rev. George C. Becktoith. 



Sweet is the memory of departed worth. 



Husk Beds. — Now (the husking season) is the 

 time to secure the best and most durable of undcr- 

 beds. All the inner husks of the corn should be 

 saved for this purpose. True, it takes a great many 

 to make a bed ; but when once the sack is filled, it is 

 a bed for life, and is the lightest and softest thing of 

 the kind that one could desire. The husks curl up 

 as they dry, and never mat down afterward. More- 

 over, no insects ever lodge in them, as vermin do in 

 straw. They are perfectly clean, and, being of a 

 strong and tough texture, they will not wear out for 

 years. We regard a good husk bed as cheap at five 

 dollars. A young married couple, to the end of life, 

 live they ever so long, will have no occasion to fill a 

 new under-bed if they once have their sacks filled 

 with good, soft, well-dried corn husks. We had all 

 of ours filled fifteen years ago, and they are this day 

 " as good as new." — Gospel Banner. 



i3outl)'0 JBepartinent. 



Maxims to guide a Young Man. — 



Keep good company or none. 



Never be idle. If your hands cannot be usefully 

 employed, attend to the cultivation of your mind. 



Always speak the truth. 



Make few promises. 



Live up to all your engagements. 



Have no very intimate friends. 



Keep your own secrets, if you have any. 



When you speak to a person, look him in the face. 



Good company and good conversation are the very 

 sinews of virtue. 



Good character is above all things else. 



Never listen to loose and infidel conversation. 



You had better be poisoned in your blood than in 

 your principles. 



Your character cannot be essentially injured except 

 by your own acts. 



If any one speaks evil of you, let your life be so 

 virtuous that none will believe him. 



Always speak and act as in the presence of God. 



Drink no kind of intoxicating liquor. 



Ever live, misfortune excepted, within your in- 

 come. 



When you retire to bed, think over what you have 

 been doing during the day. 



Never speak lightly of religion. 



ilako not haste to be rich if you would prosper. 



Small and steady gains give competency with tran- 

 quillity of mind. 



Never play at any kind of game. 



Avoid temptation, through fear that you faiay not 

 withstand it. 



Earn your money before you spend it. 



Never run into debt, unless you see a way to get 

 out again. 



Never borrow if you can possibly avoid it. 



Do not marry till you arc able to support a wife. 



Never speak evil of any one. 



Be just before you are generous. 



Keep yourself innocent, if you would be happy. 



Save when you are young, to spend when you 

 are old. 



Never think that which you do for religion is time 

 or money misspent. 



Always go to meeting when j'ou can. 



Read some portion of the Bible every day. 



Often think of death, and your accountability to 

 God. 



Read over the above maxims at least once a week, 

 (Saturday night.) !*• S« 



— Gazette and Courier. 



