with its own special activity, and the entire mass, like one unbroken life, moves in the melody of a common inspiration. "And the drops that are falling make glad the seeds, That promise bloom, and waving golden wheat. We must be vigilant and watchful-use unsparingly the hoe; for should we sleep at our post, the enemies of the honest grains and grasses will crowd around, choking out their tiny life. We have planted and cared for these infant shoots so tenderly that our harvest might be plenteous, that our granaries might be filled with rich golden ears, and our cellars stored with luscious fruits and tender, juicy vegetables. These are for our physical growth; and as we have planted understandingly, intelligently, will our efforts be crowned with success. Nature, ever active and true to the promise of seed time and harvest, will do her part. Are we unmindful of its grand beauties as we move about? Do we look upon the earth only with an eye to tillage; upon the sloping hill with its pine-crowned summit, only with an eye to timber? Upon the changeful skies only as reservoirs for moistening and watering our crops? Upon the silver streams that lace our meadows only as channels for irrigation ? Upon the climbing vine as an insidious foe to joists and beams and timbers? And upon flowers as perfumed aristocrats, crowding and overtopping the free soil democracy of cabbages, onions and potatoes? Do we barely see the true beauties, or seeing fail to understand or enjoy? If we are wise, we will cultivate the better part; develop the mental, our higher nature, that its harvest may be abundant with loftier and holier feelings that shall cast over the heart its kindliest influences. The first harvest we must have that the world may live; the second, oh! forbid that we should be mental weeds; should be dwarfs in this broad field. Will we for a moment admit that it is a necessity of our calling that we be oblivious to everything ennobling and refining? That we must always see through some one else's eyes; not having the time nor skill to do aught but dig? We realize that we must work with hands as well as brain if we 15-W. S. A. S. would gain much of this world's goods. We cannot walk in the fairy paths of dreamland, expecting to be clothed and fed, without our own individual exertions. Ever since Adam was turned from the Garden of Eden, man has been doomed to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow; and should any one shirk, some one else will have to make up for him. There are but few that have the impertinence to attempt to live by their wits alone after this Divine decree. Labor is the natural inheritance of the race, necessary to health as well as prosperity. Civilization is the result of various labor. Fame is evidently the same. So is genius. Labor is the great lever in the hands of all men. The wealth of to-day is the accumulation of the labor of the past, and remunerative work not only accumulates wealth and comforts, but gives the ability to use judiciously the means accumulated. It is exertion that renders rest delightful and sleep sweet and refreshing. The active only have the true relish of life, for "they who know not what it is to labor, know not what it is to enjoy." Gradually we are discovering that we have not only one set of faculties to be developed, but many, and that the developing of all is necessary to the perfect man. In thorough culture lies our only hope of turning the curse of labor into a blessing. That our clubs and granges have not been productive of great good, who will question? They have set many a farmer and his family to reading and thinking. You tell us these organizations are on the wane and will eventually die out. There has been a battle fought for the right, against ignorance and the slip-shod way of doing business that brings such discredit upon the profession; and those once awakened will not return to their sluggish, unthinking ways, though the organizations should cease. Our convention will soon close; because we do not meet again the coming week, is no proof that it has not been a source of pleasure and of profit to those who cared to learn. Among those who take an interest and improve themselves so that they can work intelligently, lies our hope of a harvest that will place our occupation above reproach. 'Tis a great thing to feel that we have chosen well our calling; that it is suited to our taste and the tastes of those about us. If we have made our homes the homes they ought to be; if we have not been too eager for the gain that the harvest of our grains may bring, neglecting in our children the education it is our duty to give them; if we have not forgotten that the young like their pleasures, fun and frolic, and have not kept their little bands forever digging till they are thoroughly disgusted, we need not fear that our young men will leave us when we need their help, or that our girls will say they do not like it, and will never marry a farmer. The tastes of all our children will not be for farming by any means, let it be made ever so attractive to them in childhood's days; and we would not wish to dampen their youthful zeal, when we find that their hearts are bent on following some one of the professions, by insisting that they should remain. Lawyers' sons do not all study law; physicians' sons do not all learn to use the knife and administer pills and powders. We all know that there are exceptions to ministers' sons walking in the straight and narrow way during youth, and choosing that as their profes. sion in manhood. To be a successful student, nothing is more needful than a strong, healthy physical development; and this training which some deplore, is the best possible for manly chests and stalwart arms. Reversing the old proverb, and having it all play and no work, I do not think the right way by any means. Their hands should be taught to do skillfully whatever there is to be done. The father does not do right that never allows his son to take to market any of the produce of the farm, and allow him to dispose of it. He may make mistakes, but he will have his wits sharpened and will not be bitten in exactly the same way a second time. When I think about it now, it seems as if I would not leave anything unlearned that my mother knew how to do. But I know that we see things in a very different light as we grow older. It is not until we feel the need that we sigh over opportunities neglected. It is of the greatest importance that our children are learned to do well whatever is attempted. The boy who puts up his father's fence in a slack manner will be quite likely to do the same for himself when he becomes a man. It is not a matter of small moment whether he slights his work while he is a boy or does it faithfully and well. Another work-fellow may set right whatever he has done wrong; but no one save himself can repair his ruined business habits. We should settle it well in their minds that trifling with their work now prepares the way for it in manhood. You fathers of sons that are bright and quick to learn, study the best way yourselves, then teach this to them. You mothers of willing daughters do not always make the nice white loaf, for fear that for time or two it will not be so sweet and flaky if you trust it to your fourteen year old Maria. Do not always starch and iron the white shirt, for fear that for once it will have to go in the next week's wash unworn. The young gentleman that weds the fair graduate of Vassar may take great pride that he has drawn such a prize in the wide world's lottery. She may be able to do wonderful things when it comes to the drawing room and society, yet as he comes down stairs with a limp collar to an illcooked breakfast, he will draw a long sigh that the mistress of his home cannot put upon his table a nicely cooked steak and delicious cup of coffee. Just now he'd rather she should be able to do this, than that she could calculate all the eclipses, navigate a vessel or survey a township. These home duties they should learn and we must teach them, else they will only be fit for the ranks of the great army of incapables. There are so many things which make up the grand whole of a happy and successful farmer's family contentment, peace and plenty must abound. There is no merit in being content with a slovenly way of living; with a leaky roof and patched windows; a house with loose clap-boards, and a tangled door-yard whose one-hinged gate gives free ingress to all creatures that may choose to enter. Could we make such dissatisfied with the crazy house and broken fence, the sorrel grown field, and garden of nettles; could we show them the improvement a pound of nails and a half day's labor would make on the house and yard, our convention will have done great good. The poor weary wife that strives to be patient but is not content with the surroundings and endless round of duties, be not too hasty in blaming her. There is a history in the sunken cheeks and languid eyes. Mrs. Huntley says, "it is a mysterious thing called circumstance that decides what is properly woman's work, and the kind attention of thoughtful husbands, fathers and brothers will control these circumstances." Sow plentifully of the seeds of kindness; lift with helpful hands a part of her burdens, and great will be the reward in your own home. Peace and love should rule supreme. We each create an atmosphere of our own, but its effects are felt upon all around us. Why need we with dark face and moody voice sour the enjoy. ment of others. "Blessings on the brave hearted that can wear a smile above a trouble, and whose cheery voice brings a sunbeam of comfort with it." We have passed our winter holidays. I trust they were happy ones in all our country homes. Did Santa Claus fill the wee one's stockings. Did the older children get papers or books that will be instructive and pleasing? Has mother wished for something that would be of great service to her, and did it come unexpect edly on Christmas night? Did father have the slippers, with pretty pattern worked upon them by his own child's skillful fingers, making them so dear that money would not buy them? Was there a joyousness upon that day that will cause it to be remembered above all others? Can it be that the purse strings were tightly clutched when a trifling expenditure of money would bring such happiness? A noted speaker says, "he hates a man who is an aristocrat in his family, and whose wife is obliged to be a beggar. She wishes for a dollar, and asks for it as if she were standing on a bomb. shell. He replies, Yankee fashion, by asking what she did with the fifty cents he gave her last week." If there are any such as the gentleman describes, may their hearts relent ere another Christmas, so that each may prove to the other their affection in that beautiful way. The present, so near the beginning of the new year, is indeed a fitting time for making good resolutions — resolutions to be carried into effect, and not laid aside ere the winter weeks are ended. There will always be enough in the events which befall us to relax the spring of our resolutions and to mod |