Farm Cotta<re. 209 



FARM COTTAGE. 



The farmers of the present day are awakening somewhat to 

 their interests, as advanced by the erection of suitable dwellings ; 

 buildings that will comport with the farmers' condition, and illus- 

 trative of his susceptibility to progressive and beautiful influences. 

 And who more worthy, we ask, to live in a tastefully constructed 

 house, than the swarthy visaged, hard fisted farmer, who has, al- 

 most since his eyes first opened upon the landscape and the har- 

 vest field, struggled Avith the tenacious clay, the resisting sub-soil, 

 and the mellow loam, having wrung his " quotem " from com- 

 merce, and added many broad acres of fertile " intervale " and up. 

 land to his possessions, it is but meeting out a just and well 

 earned reward, that in the "yellow leaf" of life, he should taste of 

 that self-gratulation, and cosy independence, as suggested by 

 a convenient and elegant cottage. Most unfortunately for the 

 education of the rising generation of farmers, their worthy sires 

 are not always imbued with that love for tasteful architecture, to 

 expend thereupon any portion of their earnings. Now, then, we 

 feel compelled to state that any individual whose ambition and 

 energy have been expended in cultivating his modicum of sand or 

 loam, and having enriched himself thereby, when such a person 

 is content to live in an inconvenient box, we consider it down- 

 right, willful ignorance — stupid perverseness — and is as unpar- 

 donable as the dog who snarled over the contents of a certain 

 manger. Example is contagious ; therefore, those who build for 

 themselves elegant houses, are national benefactors, and deserving 

 of a nation's thanks. We do not ask the farmer to build a castle 

 like a feudal lord ; or a gothic villa like the merchant Prince ; but 

 we do supplicate him to vacate his unreasonable prejudices, and 

 construct for his family, if not for himself, a house after the fash- 

 ion of some tasteful model ; make it simple in ornament, unique 

 and convenient in design — picturesque, if you please. Plant trees, 

 and shrubs, and modest flowers around it, and then live in it as 

 becomes a good citizen and man, who has the beatific unction at 

 his heart of having surrounded himself with such elegant com- 

 fort by his own judgment, resources, and unaided ingenuity. 

 We can remember the time wlien people who dwelt in cities al- 



