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1863. 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMER. 



361 



tween the sewing machine men, as a 

 benefit must result to the public in 

 cheapening this implement that must 

 soon be found in the parlor of every 

 well regulated household. 



We would call the attention of our 

 readers to the card of the Grover & 

 Baker. 



From the Boston Commonwealth. 



The Pall of tb J Leaf. 



BT HENRY D. THOBEAU. 



The evening of the year draws on, • 



The fields a later aspect wear; 

 Since Summer's garishness is gone 



Some giains of night tincture the noontide air. 



Behold the s'ladows of the trees 



Now circle wider about the stem. 

 Like sentries which by slow degrees 



Perform their rounds, gently protecting them. 



And as the year doth decline. 



The sun affords a scantier light; 

 Behind each needle of the pine 



There lurks a small auxiliar to the night. 



I hear the cricket's slumbrous lay 



Around, beneath me and on high, 

 It rocks the night, it lulls the day. 



And everywhere is nature's lullaby. 



But most he chirrups beneath the sod. 

 Where he hath made his winter bed. 



His creak grown fainter but more broad, 

 A Aim of Autumn o'er the Summer spread. 



Small birds in fleets migrating by. 

 Now beat across some meadow's bay. 



And as they tack and veer on high. 



With faint and hurried clicK beguile the way. 



Far in the woods these golden days 



Somo leaf obeys its Maker's call; 

 And through their hollow aisles it plays 



With delicate touch the prelude of the fall. 



Gently withdrawing from its stem. 



It lightly lays itself along 

 Where the same hand hath pillowed them. 



Resigned to sleep on the old year's throng. 



The lowliest birch is brown and sear. 

 The farthest pool is strewn with leaves. 



Which float upon their watery bier, 



Where is no eye that sees, no heart that grieves 



Our Hard Times. 



To the Editor of tTie Illinois Farmer : 



As I presume, from all accounts you are likely 

 to have a taste of hard times in your part of the 

 State, I thought it might help you a little if I 

 should inform you that we not only are going to 

 have hard times, but have got them already. In 

 the first place, we had no fruit to speak of but 

 strawberries ; these were partially a failure, net 

 prices were good — we fatted a little. Then we 

 had an awful wet June, so that we who were rais- 

 ing cotton, had to hold«up the plant with one hand 

 while we hoed it with the other. Then it oame on 

 as dry as a powder horn, and cool enough for 

 spring, the cotton wouldn't grow till the middle of 

 July, when it did the best it could. August 30 

 came the the untimely frost. It was a scorcher, 

 and yet, in three weeks came another frost, it was 

 a burner, and used up everything. It was harder 

 with us than with you. Of course, corn, potatoes 

 and "such small deer," suffered in a similar man- 

 ner. Few of us cut hay, corn is 75 cts. per bush- 

 el, the fodder was killed, and almost 8very one is 

 wishing himself kicked, not into the middle of 

 next week, but into the middle of next spring. 

 The coming winter is likely to be severely long. 

 Individually, we have corn, potatoes and hay. I 

 sent to Chicago for apples — several bought of that 

 good Christian, G. H. B. of South Pass, and we 

 shall line through, and come out with the deter- 

 mination to get out manurCj to plow deep, and 

 plant early. 



I saw a gentleman a few days ago living near 

 Villa Ridge, Alexander county, who came from 

 Cincinnati last spring, and planted 140 acres of 

 cotton. The frost hurt hia so badly that he says • 

 he will not have more than two hundred pounds 

 in the seed, or fifty pounds clear cotton to the 

 acre, which will not pay the expenses of his in- 

 vestments. But he is by no means discouraged, 

 he has bought a large quantity of suitable land in 

 the north part of this county, IJnion, and next 

 spring he will try to put out at least 400 acres of 

 cotton. He says he must get his money back. 

 6o«d for him. Bis name is A. B. Fenton. . ; 



Douglas, III. N. C. M. 



— During December we intend to make yoa a 

 visit and investigate the hard time you mention, v 



-tmf 



PsovBER — Give instruction to a wise man and 

 he will be yet wiser ; teach a just man, and he 

 will increase in learning. 



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