FARMERS AND FIELD SPORTS 



mostly indoors, to devote a month or a 

 fortnight of each year to entire rest from 

 labor. Indeed, he can hardly do this 

 except in winter, when his own fireside 

 is oftener the pleasantest place for rest. 

 But he would be the better for more 

 days ot healthful pleasure, and many 

 such he might have if he would so use 

 those odd ones which fall within his 

 year, when crops are sown and planted 

 or harvested. A day in the woods or by 

 the stream is better for body and mind 

 than one spent in idle gossip at the vil- 

 lage store, and nine times out of ten 

 better for the pocket, though one come 

 home without fin or feather to show for 

 his day's outing. One who keeps his 

 eyes and ears on duty while abroad in 

 the field can hardly fail to see and hear 

 something new, or, at least, more inter- 

 esting and profitable than ordinary gos- 

 sip, and the wear and tear of tackle and 

 a few charges of ammunition wasted will 

 cost less than the treats which are pretty 

 apt to be part of a day's loafing. 



Barring the dearth of the objects of 

 his pursuit, the farmer who goes a-fishing 

 and a-hunting should not be unsuccess- 

 80 



