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animal, like the bears and frogs in the woods and marshes. 

 Coal has taken the place of wood to a large extent even in the 

 country, so there is little chopping to be done ; there are no 

 walls to build, no heavy timber to haul, but little corn to husk 

 or shell, few sheep and cows to feed, and but little marketing 

 to do. When the first snow-storm spreads its white mantle 

 over the face of mother earth, all is hushed and silent around 

 most of our farm homesteads. The crowing of a solitary cock, 

 perched upon the barnyard fence, seems to be almost a pain- 

 ful intrusion upon the general silence. As regards the family, 

 the boys are not seen around the chopping-block, or on the 

 hay-mow ; the girls are seldom seen at the windows with their 

 knitting-work, or in the snow path leading to the barn, with 

 milk-pail in hand. The boys are away at school, or serving as 

 clerks in some city store ; the girls, if at home, sit listlessly 

 about the red-hot parlor stove, discontented, lonely, with 

 " nothing to do." And really, there is very little they can do ; 

 there is no wool to card or spin, no flax to run into threads, 

 no industrial labor that will give them even a small return in 

 ready money. The large factories do all the spinning and 

 weaving, and make all the bonnets, stockings, and under and 

 outer garments ; and willing hands in isolated homes find no 

 remunerative employment. The great want of the age is some 

 industrial labor which can be performed at farm homesteads, 

 and in the dwellings of the poor, so that a little money can be 

 earned at home. In the progress of events, we have the ex- 

 pectation that some new avenues of industry will be opened in 

 this direction, and when this occurs a blessing will rest upon 

 thousands of happy homes. 



The discouraged state in which large number of farmers 

 and farmers' families live, is due in a great measure to the 



