fox iljt 
A CITY BOY’S EXPERIENCE IN THE 
COUNTRY. 
M. H. C. 
(Concluded.) 
“Ignorance was not bliss,” in this case, 
for I had hardly gotten l>etween the oxen 
before one of them throwing his weight 
against me.Ueld me to the tongue with all the 
pressure of n, patent double action cotton press. 
The other, taking advantage of my defence¬ 
less position, threw all the wickedness of his 
depraved heart iuto his heels, and let me have 
the full advantage of it. I was extricated 
from the feeling caresses of these spiteful 
brutes after a while, with wisdom enough 
stored in my knowledge-box to abundantly 
offset the many bruises of mind and body I 
had received. My first effort at cultivating 
was nearly as bad as the plowing; the horse 
in one middle, cultivator in another, and I in 
the third; of course we often varied our posi¬ 
tions as regards to the different middles to 
suit the whims of the horse, or conform to the 
rolling and unsteady movements of the culti¬ 
vator. The cultivator would often strike a 
stone and bounce clear of three or four hills; 
by this mcaus I was enabled to leave a hill 
here and there standing. It looked very much 
like a blizzard had paid a visit to that corn, 
but was in such a hurry as to be forced to pay 
its compliments on the jump. 
I had never ridden horses in the city, my 
experience in that line extended no further 
than see-saw or roekiug horse, but I had no 
doubt as to my ability to ride, and like most 
city youths, was overjoyed at the idea of hav¬ 
ing a horse to ride whenever I felt disposed, 
A famous cavalry officer has said that one of 
the principal requisites for a good rider 
is fearlessness, l.was fearless, reckless, and 
if not insane, certainly cranky on the horse 
question. The first horse 1 mounted ran off 
with me w ith such speed that I fully made up 
my mind that my end was close at hand; over 
bogs,brush and gullies,he sped as if his life de¬ 
pended on the sacrifice of mine. I had as much 
as I could do to keep from falling off, and made 
no attempt to control him with the bridle 
rein. It would have made a saiut laugh to 
see me flying, yes; that’s the word, Hying 
across the field on the back of that mad horse, 
both heels stuck in his ribs with a grip of 
death, body flying in the air with such force 
and rapidity that threatened every instant to 
break my neck, arms decribing circles in the 
air with a velocity that could be only 
equaled by a windmill iu a hurricane, 
I was debating whether it were better for me 
to jump off and trust to providence for noth¬ 
ing worse tbau a cracked skull, when the horse 
brought up, with the force of a railroad col¬ 
lision, in f ront of a gate, the suddenness of the 
shock threw him ou his haunches and me— 
into a mud puddle. An experience like this 
might have token the conceit out of some peo¬ 
ple, hut only convinced me that I was able to 
ride anything in the shape of a horse. I could 
fill a volume with such trifling accidents as 
being kicked off a horse’s back into the mid¬ 
dle of the road by the bursting of a girth, the 
suddenness of the accident not allowing me to 
change my position on the saddle or get my 
feet from the stirrups. I have even been hung 
up a tree driviug cattle through a wood; grape¬ 
vines catch iug under my chin aud the horse, 
with the most provoking impoliteness, walk¬ 
ing from under me and leaving mo hanging 
in the tret like a malefactor or horse thief. 
Even the efforts I made at enjoying the social 
advantages of the neighborhood were huudi- 
capped with difficulties. I was compelled to 
go through a woods to go to any of the neigh¬ 
bors. There was only a narrow path, and at 
night one could hardly see his hand before 
him. I was meandering my uncertain way 
through it one night, meeting with only such 
obstacles to my progress as an occasional col¬ 
lision with a tree, or an aimless wandering 
from the path among the surrounding shrub¬ 
bery and briers, and had just reached a low 
bottom that looked as if it might be the favor¬ 
ite resort of uncanny creatures, when I was 
startled by an unearthly cry of Oh! Lord, 
Oh! Lord! I thought at that time I had never 
heard a more unearthly cry. You may de¬ 
pend on it 1 did not tarry long in that vicinity. 
When I reached home I related my experience 
and there was a general laugh at my expense, 
I was often requested to relate my experience 
with tin? owls again, but I have preserved an 
austere sileuce until now. In closing, possibly 
1 would do well to extend my advice to those 
in the country, as well as those who live in the 
cities. If you have half a show, “better bear 
the ills you have, than fly to others that you 
kuow not of.” 
Uncle Mark believes iu this last sentence 
every time. There are far too mauy “rolling 
stones” iu this world now. Some boys get 
into places where the pay is small aud the 
work hard. After working at it awhile they 
get tired and want to strike off somewhere 
else. They go through this change time after 
time—ne% T er settle anywhere, and find them¬ 
selves at 40 years with nothing ahead and no 
trade or business to fall back upon. Then is 
the time they see that if they had stuck right 
to the iueauest aud humblest work they ever 
tried they would have had more money and 
been just as happy. The trouble is we see 
these things too late in life sometimes. Some 
men think a boy should “sow his wild oats.” 
That is all nonsense. We are all going to reap 
just exactly what we sow. A crop of “wild 
oats” may give some fun during the sowing, 
but it iu the worst kind of a crop to harvest. 
As to what “M. H. C.” says about city boys 
going to the country, lie is about half right 
and half wrong. I know from experience 
that a hoy cau go from the city to the coun¬ 
try aud better himself in every way. T kuow 
too that some city boys would be uuhappy and 
discontented iu the country. They would rath¬ 
er he clerks in a dry goods store and work ou 
for years with no chance of ever owniug any 
property, than to go out ou the farm, work 
hard and save wages, I know that boys cau, 
even in these days, start with nothing, on the 
farm, and end with a good property. And 
they make good, intelligent citizens too. It 
depends a great deal upon the boy, you see. 
The city offers a fine chance for a few hard 
workers to make fortunes at the expouso of 
health. The country give everybody a 
chance to make u good living and to enjoy 
health and comfort. I do not mean to say 
that all city people are sick and that all 
country people are well. I do mean to say 
that there are more failures in health and spir¬ 
its, more unhappiness and bitterness, more 
disappointments and heart-burniugs in the 
city than one can find among the same class 
of people in the country. I believe in the 
country. I know it is the place where boys 
can make sound, earnest, mauly men of them 
selves. 
LETTERS FROM THE COUSINS. 
Dear Uncle Mark: I enclose you au an¬ 
ecdote about a little girl who lives near here. 
We all thought it real cute aud I hope you will 
give it a place in your valuable paper. Yours 
truly, MRS. J. E. T. 
Gertrude, who is four years old, was oue 
day at a neighbor's where she was urged to 
eat dinner with them, but she refused. Finally 
after much urging she said she would eat with 
them if they would give her a cup of tea. 
Mr. P. says, “did you know it would make 
your back crooked?” She says, “do you 
know, my grandmother she drinks seven cups 
of tea to a meal aud her back is as straight as 
a string.” _ 
Dear Uncle Mark: We have about 35 
head of horses and about 200 head of cattle. 1 
go to school regularly now besides three 
brothers aud three sisters goiug. I weut to a 
summer school last summer; it was the first 
time I ever went to a summer school. We 
have about 35 scholars iu our school 
now, last summer there were 20. My 
youngest brother killed a bear last fall. The 
hide was about six feet long when stretched. 
We have 21 little pigs just weaned, aud three 
old hogs; we feed them on }>otatoes. I feed 
the hogs and the chickens. I boil potatoes 
every Saturday for them. We have only a 
few chickens, the wild cats caught them 
nearly all. We have killed three wild cats 
this winter and last fall. 
Yours truly, 
Paonia, Colorado. guy o. hammond. 
Dear Uncle Mark: We are brother aud 
sister nud we both wanted to write to you, 
aud thought we would write together. We 
are 12 uud nine years old. We live ou a farm 
of 600 acr. 8, and have 14 head of horses .and 
two gray mules. Pa went to Kentucky last 
winter and bought two head of Short-horn 
cattle; their names are “Duke of Ketton” and 
“Betty the Ninth.” We go to school together 
in a new school-house; our old one burned 
down. Pa takes the Youth’s Companion for 
us. We are reading “Little Women” and 
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” May we join the Y. 
H, C.? Pa takes the Rural and we all like 
it so much. Your Friends, 
FRANK AND MARIE RIGGIN. 
Roam, Ind. 
Dear Uncle Mark: I have been going to 
write to you for a longtime. We would have 
had tomatoes if it had uot beeu for a late frost 
which killed them. We have a cat that hud some 
kittens ubout a year ago aud the kits all died, 
and ever since then if she sees a little stray 
chicken any where she grabs it by the neck 
aud runs to some soft place aud lots it go, aud 
she won’t let that chicken go two feet away, 
nor will she let a dog come near. If any body 
comes and talks to her, she will roll over aud 
twist as though she was pretty near tickled to 
death. We have potatoes big enough to eat, 
and plenty of coin knee high. Corn is 70 aud 
75 cents a bushel. I have two rebels miunie 
balls and one “yankee” miunie ball. We 
moved from Cleveland, 0. two years ago last 
New Years, and I would not go back now for 
a house and lot. Last spring a man that is 
living with us killed four or five wild turkeys 
and a deer. Your nephew, 
Chickanmuga, Tenuessee. John hohn. 
Hamiltou Co. 
[That is a tine cat, I never heard of such a 
performance before. 1 have seen a kerosene 
barrel cleaned by steaming it. Put boili ng 
water iu the box.—u. M.] 
Dear Uncle Mark: I am a little girl, 
eight years old. 1 would like to join your club. 
I have not been going to school this winter. I 
have one sister and two brothers. My Papa 
has three horses, two mules and five cows. 
My brother Fay has a dog; her name is Jip. 
My Grandpa has taken the Rural for a num¬ 
ber of years. My Grandpa has sold seven Hol¬ 
stein cattle in New York, aud he has about 20 
head of Holstein cows and calves. Some of 
them are very nice, josie s. mii.lspacgh. 
Monmouth Co., N. J. 
Willie K., after trying long aud rather 
impatiently, to get on his leather boot, which 
had been badly soaked the day before, seemed 
suddenly lost in thought, then remarked with 
deadly calmness. “I wish that boot was alive, 
I’d ‘kill it.” Frequent contemplation of the 
struggles, failures, trials and “holy” stockings 
together with leather or rubber foot-wear of 
the “men folks,” inclined me to be very sym¬ 
pathetic with the erauky state of this eight- 
year-old man. A short, time ago he came 
from church, inquiring ior his “wicked coat” 
as he had to goto the barn, farmer-boy fash¬ 
ion to do some chores; or being asked what 
coat that was he said it was “the one that 
didn’t go to church.” 
Oue morning, t'eellug rather slow and tired, 
and spending much unnecessary time getting 
ready to go to the barn to do his chores, of 
which he uud his older brother have a certain 
amount to do every day, ho said in tragic 
tones, “I expect hard words—hard words;” 
his older brother always feeling it his duty 
(as older brothers usually do, alas!), to look 
after him when he is dilatory. He has milked 
from one to four cows twice a day since July 
as occasion demanded; how is that for a boy 
not brought up iu dairy-land? 
Ouce, when about four years old, after 
kueelmg to his “household Gods” (playthings) 
till the eutire knee was out of one of his stock¬ 
ings, he v cut. out to slide aud came back with 
his own knee iu a truly sauguinary plight; he 
explained that he “weut out with Uis kuee 
bareheaded aud fell down on the ice.” 
MATER DONIR. 
Dear Uncle Mark: I too would like to be 
numbered among the (Jousius. Last summer 
there was a worm ou oilr currant aud goose¬ 
berry bushes that ate the leaves nil off nud 
almost rained the fruit. Papa and Ma smoked 
them with sulphur smoke ; that killed most all 
of them. The worms were different from any 
that they had ever seen before. Oue day I 
discovered a bug which resembled the potato 
bue that ate the worms. Papa 1ms taken the 
Rural New-Yorker for three years und we 
would be very lonesome without it. The Gar¬ 
den Treasures are splendid. 
Yours truly, Francis m. sackett. 
Delaware Co., N. Y. , 
Dear Uncle Mark: I wish to correspond 
with the Cousins and Uncle Mark. I have a 
pet cat. Its name is Maud. I have three 
ducks. My Papa is a farmer, aud raises stock 
for sale. 1 have road the letters from the 
Cousins in the Rural. I love to read them so 
much. I love to go to school very much. I 
am a little girl only 10 years of age. Uncle 
Mark tell me how many cousins you have. 
From your Niece, 
Jessamin Co., Ky. jennte m. eimmerman. 
[I must say that l never have counted all 
my little friends. There are too many to 
count.—u. M.] 
gmswUHttfousi «|4wrttuiitt0. 
Scrofula 
Probably no form of disease Is so generally dla 
tributed among our whole population as scrofula. 
Almost every ludl/ldual has tills latent pels C 
coursing his veins. The torrlblo sufferings en 
dured by those afflicted with scrofulous sores 
cannot bo understood by others, and their grati¬ 
tude on finding a remedy that cures them, aston¬ 
ishes a well person. Thu wonderful power of 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla 
in eradicating every form of Scrofula has been so 
clearly and fully demonstrated that it leaves no 
doubt that It la the great <st medical discovery of 
this generation- It h* made by C. 1. HOOD & CO.,. 
Lowell, Mass., and is sold by all druggists. 
IOO Doses One Dollar 
MAKE BETTER 
Perfect 
IN 
FLAVOR and GRAIN ? 
ONLY THOSE WHO USE TOE 
COOLEY PROCESS. 
So soy the Judges at the GREAT NEW YORK HAIRY 
AND CATTLE Show, and at the BAY STATE FAIR, 
Boston, October, Wfifi. 
All the Agricultural Papers agree that these Judges 
are four.it tlie most competent men for the position 
lu the United States. 
For particulars In detail address 
VERMONT FARM MACHINE GO., 
BELLOWS FALLS, VERMONT. 
MOSELEY’S 
-^OCCIDENT CREAMERY 
and refrigerator. 
Qnmttity UGH:UfftD. tjoality IMPROVED. 
.No sediment with either milk or cream. 
.Sold Strictly on Merit. Ci"'~One 
nt. wholesale where wc have no Agent. 
MOSELEY & MUTCH ABU MFG.C0 
8om1 lor circular. Clinton, Iowa. 
GUERNSEY 
FOR SALE. 
BULL, Prince of Oneida, No. 9R4. 
Born January, 1885. A line Breeder from choice strains. 
Weighs over 1 . 30 U pounds. E. IIIIRLBFRT, 
Springdale Farm., Trenton Falls* N. * 
FIIOINI) MOLES, their habits, and liow to 
eat eh til t'lit. Also, how to t nip If ubbiiH, Opos¬ 
sums, and Skunks. A HOl'K FREE. 
L. Jl. OLMSTED, Corona. New Jersey. 
ASTHMA 
nnd It. 4 V FEPEB 
can h<- fti i fil only by 
tin i r'» Aj/*fcii». 
Cl Paj/t Treatist ««nl free. Dr. W. B. Hair, Cincinnati, 0. 
COLLIE 
PUI’S. superhl'j bred, prize stock; 
rough haired beauties, *fi unsur¬ 
passed. Chester White FIGS. etc. 
F. MORRIS, Norway. Pa. 
FOR SALE. BERKSHIRE PIGS. Full- 
blooded Pedigreed Stock from the best lu the U.S. 
I.ow, to Introduce my stock. Address 
G. FA MER ER. Boxtl,Evansville. Rhcal Co.,Tenn. 
ENGLISH SIIIKE-BRED FART STAL- 
LIONS.—THOMAS EL' KKHY. of MKLTON-ON- 
TII E-HILL ST IIO FARM, near DONCASTER. 
ENGLAND, has several Mich Class Two and Three Year 
olds for sale. Apply to him direct. 
TANDARD 
GALVANIZED WIRE NETTINC. 
For Poultry Fencing. 
1 7-S OF ONK CENT F0U 2 lscn MESH NO. I'J WIRE. 
EVERYTHING FOR THE POULTRY YARD. 
1 Hatchers and Krooders. 
Send for Circular Broekner & Evans, 
2S VK8KY STREET. N. Y. CITY. 
rinnn FromPrlzeWlunertt; Wyundottes, Plymouth 
• I > I > V Rocks. Eight Brahmas. Buff Cochins and 
P iTlTll Games. My Sih Annual Circular mailed 
UU U U "Free,” giving particulars. C. Harris, 
Box 102, Cohunbuv, Ohio. 
JKIISM lit.ll.I,A SIMIIINA, 
I lii-vivr While, Hi rUhirr A: York- 
thin* I'tsfv Suullnluwn, (ohwtilil 
anil Oxford Down Mhrcpund I.ambu 
Scotrli Cnllpy Shuphi'ril bogs and 
• Kanrjr Poultry* tiriid for <'«talogo• 
3 W.ATLKK IH'ltPKR k C0.PhIIa.Po 
THE "COMMON SENSE” MILK Pill. 
This Is the 
only perfect 
Pall made.— 
There are no 
scams iu the 
frout to catch 
the dirt. It has 
u perfectly 111 - 
ling strainer, 
which can be 
I n »t a ti tly re¬ 
moved, so that 
every part of 
the poll muy 
be ijmeklu and 
< horauuhly 
Cleaned. 
Extra straln- 
Patketrd. ere etui be ob¬ 
tained at any time. , . „ 
The Pall Is made from henvyXX tin, aud Ismail 
respects the best In the world. 
Send for special circular. Agents wauled. 
MILKING TUBES. 
FOR MILKING COWS AVITH SORE TEATS. 
This U the best Tube lu the market. Sent, post¬ 
paid to any address, on receipt of price, one 
Tube, as ecu la; Five Tubes, » 1 .(W. Scud ror spe¬ 
cial circulars to 
BARTLETT & DOW, 
LOWELL, MASS. 
Please mention this paper. 
ANEW BUTTER PRESERVATIVE. 
KBI.LOGG’S 
oyal Balt. 
POSITIVELY PREVENTS BUTTER 
FROM EVER BECOMING RANCID. 
Endorsed by George It. Douglas. Esq., Ex President 
Mercantile Exchange; l'uluam Conklin. E.si| , Manager 
Tlmrher, Why laud A Go's Muller Deportment, New 
York » itv; t.'nl. Win. Crosier. Nnrthport, L J., n. » ■; 
St. Louis Dairy Co., Charles Cabonne, Geti’l Manager, 
St. LoUli, Mo . and others. See American Agricultural, 
page August number. UMC „ , 
FOU SALE my The Western Dairy Supply Co., 88 
and DO Luke Street, Chicago, III.; Childs & Jones, 
Utica, N. V.; John S. Carver, Syracuse, N. Y.; P. J* 
Kaufman, Terre Haute. Indiana; W. Y. Kith Inti, South- 
hold, L. I.: Frank Sisson ami C. j.VIcts. New London, 
Cotut , G. A. Wagganian, Hnu-dutt. Texas; R. U. Ma''- 
eeUux. Schenectady, N Y.; Spangler fit Rich, Marietta. 
Pa.; Woodward & Co.. Hartford. Cnun.; II. l • fanner 
& fia.. Saluda, N. U. stokes Sayre, Talladega. Ala.; 
Ten Urueuk & Wentworth, Chatham. N. Y.; Jonne. 
lamas, Mt. Jackson, Ya : Charles A. Muller, Heckman. 
N Y.j Hoim i UamsdeU Trans Co., Newburgh, N. Y.; 
J. U. Tempieman, Broadway, Vu.; J. C. Leslie. Spring 
field, Ob Id; hut tor Preservative Suit Co., New York 
Cliv, N. V., and dealers in dairy supplies generally 
throughout the Catted suites. 
BUTTER 4 PRESERVATIVE SALT CO., 
ofeick and Factory. , „ 
Foot of West Eleventh Street, New York City, N. Y. 
