44 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
THE SIGNS OF THE THRIFTY FARMER. 
That some farmers thrive while others 
seem just to drag along is a palpable notori¬ 
ety. In looking round among our farmers 
and noticing their operations, we have con¬ 
cluded that we could tell the thrifty farmer 
by a few unmistakeable signs, even if we 
know but little about his affairs. You will 
notice something in his appearance, or the 
ideas which he appears to be following out, 
which will tell plainly enough that the farm¬ 
er is getting ahead in the world. What are 
the signs 1 They are not seen in the rich¬ 
ness of his dress or the equipage with which 
he appears abroad, or in the display which 
he makes in public places. We have seen 
farmers out in even splendid attire, with fast 
horses and fine trappings and carriages, who 
are Slovenish farmers, and whose out-stand¬ 
ing debts would more than swing the home¬ 
stead. No, no ; we do not take such things 
for evidence of the farmer’s thrift. Then 
again we do not allow that it is any sign that 
he is getting “ fore hand ” when he is seen 
trading and trafficking, buying, selling and 
swapping horses, oxen, &c., even, though he 
be a sharper and makes what he calls good 
trades. Such very frequently go “ astern ” 
by wasting their time in hunting up good bar¬ 
gains and neglecting their farms. These 
farmers do not love their farming ; and they 
sell the sure gain and large profits of culti¬ 
vation for a trifling present advantage, often 
purchased at the expese of conscience and 
moral honesty. Rather such symptoms are 
indicative of a want of thrift and healthy 
prosperity. But when we see a farmer bend¬ 
ing all his energies to improve his farm, and 
making inquiries as to the best methods of 
husbandry, patronizing agricultaral papers, 
and taking a due interest in agricultural 
fairs, associations, &c.; when we hear him 
inquiring for improved stock, seeds, and 
fruit trees, we say that man is bound to 
prosper. Then when his teams are seen 
round the market places loaded with manure, 
ashes, or other refuse matter which can be 
used to improve the soil, or when engaged 
on a liberal scale in drawing muck, turf, or 
the like into his yard and filling his manure 
vats with it, we set it down that he is grow¬ 
ing rich. Although he is making great out¬ 
lays in purchasing and preparing artificial 
manures, we can not help thinking that he is 
putting capital into a bank that will yield 
great dividends. The farmer who will ex¬ 
cel and thrive must be a farmer, and give his 
thought, and study, and effort to his calling ; 
the same as the eminent physician, lawyer, 
or clergyman gives all his energies to his 
profession. When this is the case he will 
show it, and will be as proud of his farm 
frock as the parson of his cloak. He will not 
be clownish or indifferent to his outward ap¬ 
pearance, but he will not be ashamed to be 
"found dressed suitable for the farm. He will 
feel as easy and as much at home in his 
working garb when visited, as the merchant 
is behind his counter, or the lawyer in his 
office. When we meet a farmer about his 
appropriate business who holds up his head 
and shows a manly dignity, and yet courte¬ 
ous, if thrown among gentlemen of the cloth, 
we conclude that there is a man who values 
his manhood, and is proud of his noble call¬ 
ing ; that is the man who will thrive a*id se¬ 
cure a plentiful board for himself and family, 
and contribute something towards the sup¬ 
port of the rest of mankind.— Farmer and 
Mechanic. 
The Ruling Passion. —An eminent Lon¬ 
don speculator, on witnessing the brilliant 
success of the electric night-works at the 
Louvre, was heard to exclaim, with deep 
feeling, “ By Jove ! all I have got to say is, 
f f I Held any share in the moon. I’d sell out!” 
“A little humor now and then, 
Is relished by the best of men.” 
SPRING- 
Oh! I love, I love the beautiful Spring, 
When leaves and plants are growing; 
When the joyous birds in the green wood sing, 
And gales o’er the hills are blowing. 
And I love, I love the musical note 
Of waters that swift through the valleys float, 
Their way to the far sea taking ; 
My spirit it thrills with a holy thought, 
And my heart with a gentle love is fraught, 
Amid the young year’s waking. 
Oh ! I love, I love the beautiful Spring, 
W T hen morn is newly beaming. 
And the larks aloft on their missions wing, 
Their praise through the ether streaming; 
And I love. I love the freshening breeze, 
The lowing herds, and the green, green trees, 
And the fields of glistening flowers. 
The sun rejoices o’er valley and stream, 
The mountains he tips with a golden beam, 
And lights the budding bowers. 
Oh! I love, I love the beautiful Spring, 
When day is calmly closing, 
And the flowers abroad their fragrance fling, 
On the twilight air reposing. 
And I love, I love from the hawthorn tree, 
The gush of the nightingale’s melody, 
While the moombeams quiet are sleeping— 
When peace like a vale o’er the landscape lies, 
And the earth smells sweet as the balmy skies 
Their dew-drop tears are weeping. 
Facts. —Should all the inhabitants of the 
United States cease to use intoxicating 
liquor, the following would be some of the 
beneficial results, viz : 
1. Not an individual would hereafter be¬ 
come a drunkard. 
2. Many who are now drunkards, would 
reform, and would be saved from the drunk¬ 
ard’s grave. 
3. As soon as those that would not reform 
should be dead, which would be a short time, 
not a drunkard would be found, and the 
whole land would be free. 
4. More than three-fourths of the pauper¬ 
ism of the country might be prevented; and 
also more than three-fourths of the crimes. 
5. One of the grand causes of error in 
principle, and immorality in practice, and the 
sources of vice and wretchedness, would be 
removed. 
6. The number, frequency and severity of 
diseases would be greatly lessened ; and the 
number and hopelessness of maniacs in our 
land be exceedingly diminished. 
7. One of the greatest dangers of our chil¬ 
dren and one of the principal causes of bodi¬ 
ly, mental, and moral deterioration, would 
be removed. 
8. Loss of property in one generation to an 
amount greater than the present value of all 
the houses and land in the United States, 
might be prevented. 
9. One of the greatest dangers to our free 
institutions, to the perpetuity of our govern¬ 
ment, and to all the blessings of civil and 
religious liberty, would be removed. 
10. The efficacy of the gospel, and all the 
means which God has appointed for the 
spiritual and eternal good of men, would be 
exceedingly augmented; and the same 
amount of moral and religious effort might 
be expected to produce more than double its 
present effects .—Episcopal Recorder. 
A Queer Oath. —The following oath was 
administered to a little boy ten years of 
age, in the Iowa Legislature, chosen to do 
up documents : “ You do solemnly swear to 
support, the Constitution of the United States 
and of this State, and to fold papers to the 
best of your ability, so help you God.” 
A LITTLE INCIDENT. 
It was about half-past nine o’clock in the 
morning; the dense fog, through which we 
had been running for the last four or five 
hours, had rendered the track so slippery 
that we had lost considerable time in climb¬ 
ing the up-grades ; but we were now running 
down a moderate grade, and as the fog was 
clearing away, we had ventured to increase 
our speed ; and our engineer, ever attentive 
to his business, was constantly watching the 
track ahead, which was occasionally envel¬ 
oped in thick clouds of the watery vapor. 
As we were thus running along, I observed 
the engineer raise his hand to the cord at¬ 
tached to the whistle. He held it for a 
moment, and then gave the signal to “break.” 
Turning my eyes in the direction in 
which we were moving, I was barely 
able to discern some object upon the track 
a considerable distance ahead, but could 
not make out what it was. A moment later 
the engineer repeated the signal to “ break,” 
in that peculiar startling manner which is 
instantly recognized by the experienced 
brakesman as an indication of imminent 
danger. The engine was reversed as if by 
magic, and as the steam was applied, the 
driving wheels whirled round in an opposite 
direction to that in which the train was mov¬ 
ing. I now discovered that the object before 
us was a little child, apparently unaware of 
its danger. The almost constant screaming 
of the whistle with which the engineer 
sought to frighten it from the track seemed 
only to amuse it. The wheels of our engine 
grated and hissed upon the iron track, unable 
to stop the train, which, owing to the slip¬ 
pery condition of the rails, it was certain it 
would send us far beyond where the child 
was standing before we could stop. Thus 
we rushed on with the'almost certainty that 
in the next minute that innocent, unsuspect¬ 
ing child, too young to know its danger, 
would be a mangled corpse. Turning my 
eyes to see if there was no one near to save 
it, I saw a lady who seemed to be almost 
flying toward the child, but one glance show¬ 
ed me that the engine must reach it before 
her. The engineer had left his post, and 
was now running rapidly along the frame to 
the front of the engine. In an instant he 
was crouching upon the “ cow-catcher,” 
with one foot upon its lower bar, his left 
hand holding to the framework, and his right 
extended toward the child, which, at the 
very moment it would have been crushed, he 
caught by its little arm, raised it from the 
track, and bore it along in safety. One more 
minute, and the child, uninjured, Avas restored 
to its mother’s arms.— Life Illustrated. 
A genuine Down-Easter essaying to ap¬ 
propriate a square of exceedingly tough beef 
at dinner, in a Wisconsin hotel, his convul¬ 
sive efforts with a knife and fork attracted 
the attention and smiles of those in the 
same predicament as himself. At last Jona¬ 
than’s patience vanished under ill-success, 
when laying down his utensils, he burst out 
with, “ Strangers, you needn’t laff—-if you 
haint got any regard for the landlord's feel¬ 
ings, you orter have some respect for the poor 
old animal.— This sally “ brought doAvn the 
house.” 
The Best Thing Out. —A friend has fur¬ 
nished us with the following copy of a sign 
over the door of a respectable looking house 
near Chichester, England:— “her i.ifs 1 oo 
QUERS A GOOS.” 
Any joker that can translate the above at 
one reading, can “ take our hat!” We have 
