154 Good and Bad Farming Contrasted. 
to make some men we have seen dream of famines, convulsions, 
and earthquakes, if not the annihilation of all things. 
On the opposite side of the room was " the farmer's museum," 
filled with models of improved and ancient implements, grains, 
minerals, shells, treasures of earth and of ocean, as far as his 
means of collecting could congregate them, in a beautiful array 
of the wonderful and instructing. 
" This room," said he, " is our family study, where each mem- 
ber resorts, when leisure from other employments will permit, and 
where we all assemble on our winter evenings, to spend an hour 
in discoursing upon some topic of history, on w^iich light may 
be thrown from the library, or cabinet, or both. Thus, we are all 
teachers and all learners in the school of nature, and catch some 
of the richest lessons at a season when she lies in deepest repose. 
Happy and cheerful pass the hours we spend in exploring the 
mysteries of her treasures." 
Such are some of the outlines of the history and present cir- 
cumstances of farmer Russell; albeit, we had well nigh forgotten 
to mention that in addition to all his other blessings, he is the 
happy father of three tall, graceful daughters, just bursting into 
womanhood, each alike adroit at the piano, the spinning wheel, 
and milk pail, who, as he said, had, in early life, eschewed mat- 
rimony, unless providence should throw in their way men who 
honored their father's profession enough to follow it, and who 
hail minds equal to bring in' the contributions of science, to 
advance and perfect the art to which mankind are so strongly 
indebted for their sustenance; and four sons, with power and ca- 
pacity sufficient to profit by the wisdom which had conducted 
their parents, so honorably and independently thus far through a 
world whose ups and downs, so often mark the fluctuating career 
of its inhabitants. They were born farmers' sons, were educated 
to be farmers, and sought no higher honors than the dignity and 
independence the farmer's life afford. 
And now, dear reader, shall we give you a reverse of this 
picture of thrift, comfort and happiness, as pure as earth can yield? 
Subjects that will form sad reverses have fallen within our notice, 
and mayhap within your own. One of the most appropriate we 
now think of, is found in the history of Philip Lambert, who, as 
Thomas Russell, inherited a New England birthright, shared in 
the opportunities for a New England education, and stood by Tho- 
mas' side, in reading ba, ba, &c. There was, however, a difference 
in our two subjects at as early a period as this in their careers, 
for while Philip's pockets were filled with candy, Thomas's con- 
tained only apples, and while the former sat by the comfortable 
fireside and cracked Madeira nuts of a cold frosty morning, the 
latter might sometimes be seen feasting on butternuts beneath the 
