132 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



March 



he told me this, but then it would have been use- 

 less ; well, some must buy their- experience, 

 dearly, too. 



"Well, Fanny, I wouldn't say it to every one, 

 but 'it is an ill wind that blows good to no one.' 

 That farm will have to l)e sold again, no two ways 

 about it. _ I don't want it exactly, that is, I don't 

 need it; it may do for one of the boys — it's han- 

 dy, say, what think of it, Fanny?" 



"Brother, mine, did I ever differ from you, need- 

 lessly, foolislily ? Your attachment to this home 

 of our childhood cannot be strongct, or more en- 

 during than mine. 



"Often as I have reclined beneath the beauti- 

 ful dark cypress of Alabama, have my thoughts 

 wandered back to this very spot ; yes, often in 

 imagination, 'have I been seated upon this rock, be- 

 neath the branches of this widespreading oak, where 

 were passed many hours of our fresh and happy 

 childhood, and affection's long slumberings have 

 been recalled in all their purity. And how has 

 my bosom yearned towards home ! You need but 

 to go where I have been, to see what I have seen, 

 to know the true dignity of labor. Where sucli 

 pleasant homes, where such pure hearts as here in 

 New England? You have but to see as I have 

 seen, the effect of sloth, indolence, exemption from 

 labor and care, to appreciate your own highly-fa- 

 vored position, that of the 'tiller of the soil.' 



"But brother, I must speak plainly ; beware, 

 lest in avoiding what you consider a useful ex- 

 pense, you commit a greater error. No matter if 

 you do not put the cash in your pocket, if you 

 make a free and happy home for your own fiimi- 

 ly, if with pure and loving hearts you find and 

 cherish what money cannot buy in this selfish 

 world, true happiness, then be content. 



"But do not suppose for one moment, that mo- 

 ney uselessly expended in improvements, or rather 

 supposed improvements, for may be I shall differ 

 from you there, is the only evil to be avoided. — 

 There is an evil, greater than all the ditching and 

 pubsoiling of which you have been speaking. It 

 is an improvident, careless, neglectful way of far 

 ming, which brings misery and want in its train 

 'He that dealeth with a slack hand,' you know the 

 rest of it, brother. 



"By the way, have you thus far been success 

 ful in your plans — have your expectations been re- 

 alized— do you know how you stand — what is your 

 yearly income 1 ' ' 



"0,'well, ahem, Idon't'exactly know, now ; but 

 then 'I am going' to reckon up one of these days, 

 and then I can tell ; but then you must know, 

 Fanny, that keeping accounts, &c., on a farm, is 

 what one can do or not, just as one chooses ; its 

 well enough, though, if one has plenty of time to 

 do everything, no harm perhaps can come of it, 

 then, but hang it, (excuse me sister) if I would 

 have the name of my wife's keeping books or ac- 

 counts for me if 'twas never done. They say Mrs. 

 Prentice assists her husband in such matters." 

 _ "1 shall begin to think quite highly of this Pren- 

 tice family, if I remain here through the season, 

 I suspect," replied Fanny with a smile. 



'_'0, I have nothing against them, save perhaps 

 a little prejudice ; it's their management, I speak 

 of," said Mr. Lee. 



"Now, Fanny, don't you remember Major 

 Simes? Well, he undertook to manage something 

 after this fashion ; he bought new-fivshioned tools 



of all descriptions, drained all his low lands, 

 grafted his apple trees, and tried all sorts pf book 

 farming, took I know not how many agricultural 

 papers, and what was the end of it, do you re- 

 member, Fanny?" said Mr. Lee with a trium- 

 phant smile. 



"Yes, I remember it all, and do you remember 

 when we children went to school, how the tools 

 and machines all lay 1)y the road side, piled and 

 covered with snow — wliat strange flintastic forms 

 they were ; how the gates Avere off the hinges, 

 fences down, and the cattle traversing tlie fields, 

 breaking the young fruit trees, the well sweep 

 broken, and the pole with a tin pail fastened on 

 the end to draw with! 



"Do you remember how you used to snow-ball 

 the house where no smoke issued from the chim- 

 ney, on your way to school in the morning, with 

 no fear of a remonstrance from its inmates, who 

 seemed to care for nought but 'a little more sleep?' 

 Do you remember how 'his grafts' died for want 

 of care? and again my memory is not at fault ; if 

 Major S. reaJ agricultural papers, you and I know 

 he never paid for them ! 



"Yes, Jerry, I remember all these things, and 

 it was not booh farming that ruined him, it was 

 down-right — shall I say it, brother, shifllcssness ; 

 not a very pretty word, is it? If the Major had 

 united habits of regularity, industry and economy, 

 with energy, his book farming could never have 

 harmed him ; but, alas ! all these important requi- 

 sites were wanting. 



"As well might you suppose that the locomo- 

 tive which is now flying past us in the distance, 

 would reach its destination with its burden of liv- 

 ing freight, at the given time, safe and sound, with- 

 out wood or water, and the constant and unwea- 

 ried care and oversight of man, — as to think far- 

 ming, with the most complete tools to work with, 

 and correct ideas of their use, can be made a pro- 

 fitable or useful employment without a systemat- 

 ic arrangement of one's affairs with skill and pru- 

 dence, and the same order which is requisite to 

 render any other business prosperous. 



"In truth, brother, I do not believe it is a mo- 

 ney-making business ; but that is of little conse- 

 quence ; do not teach your children that money- 

 making, is of the most importance, but tell them 

 by your example, that 'money is nothing, that 

 greatness is nothing, thai goodness is the real jew- 

 el in the casket,' and learn them to cherish it well. 

 And brother, let me again speak plainly, do not 

 let cares press too heavily upon your wife. You 

 may not have noticed as I have, that Ellen is look- 

 ing quite care-worn ; believe me, brother, 'tis not 

 time alone, that has deepened and widened the 

 furrows on her pale brow — hard work, brother — 

 hard work" — 



How long the conversation would have contin- 

 ued, we know not, had not the sound of merry 

 voices and the lengthening shadows told tl)em it 

 was time to return. 



As they neared the house, Mr. Lee was accost- 

 ed by a man awaiting his return. "I called for 

 to settle up that little account Avith you, 'squire; 

 shouldn't be particular, but I talk of going away, 

 and I thought 'twould be handy to pick up enough 

 so as not to be put to it for money to pay my ex- 

 penses, ye see — thought 'twould be well enough to 

 'square off.' " 



"Well, yes, ahem; how much is there due, 

 Mr. W.?" 



