It is not very long since I wrote to you from Achern, but in the short time that has elapsed we have made many miles and seen many beautiful places and a number of interesting things. We celebrated the Fourth of July in Stuttgart.
There was a grand display in the City Garden "Stadt Garten," in the evening. The garden was brilliantly illuminated and decorated with American flags and bunting. A band, about 100 men strong, rendered most excellent music. The crowd assembled to be entertained numbered about 40,000 people. This crowd included a large number of Americans as well as Swabians and other Germans. The houses throughout the entire city displayed American flags and it took a great many glasses of beer, bottles of wine and campagne to give the finishing touches to the glorious 4th in Stuttgart. On the following morning my head (I will not say our heads) felt twice as thick as the morning before. In the afternoon of the 5th we went to Sulzbach to see a sister of my wife an at the same time to give good-bye to the others of her family. We proceeded to Munich to Bavaria next day. This we found to be a beautiful city with most excellent Bayrisch beer.
"Hello buva, do gates." I wish you Pennsburg people could taste it. It is even better then that at the Pennsburg Hotel and I guess we all take another, and so on until my "frau" said to me "that is enough now," then I had to stop because I always do what she says. Next day while I was studying French my wife told me she was not feeling well and she could hardly walk any more. She wanted to go back to Frankfort again and said if she did not feel any better on arrival she would like to go home. I agreed to her request to go to Frankfort but told her we would talk about going home after getting there as I was not yet ready. From Munich we went to Carlsruhe, a very beautiful city, the Capital of my native land. On arrival we walked around the city, but Mrs. ROTH was hanging back all the time. We finally went to a hotel, took a good dinner and rested a while after which we left for the station to take the train for Manheim.
While waiting for the train a young man entered the waiting room and walked right through. My wife said "guck do gate dar Greenviller Pfarra," Mr. DELONG. I said "I guess not, look once more," then Lizzie said "papa that is Rev. DELONG, go over and ask him." I went and asked him and found that Mrs. ROTH and Lizzie were right, but Rev. DELONG did not know me at first. We had a pleasant but short chat as time was limited. Rev. DELONG went to Heidelberg and we to Manheim, but before parting we promised to meet each other at London. On reaching Manheim we stayed till next morning when we went to Mainz and took the boat down the Rhine to Niederwald. This is a section of country that I wish all my Pennsburg friends could see, but time and space will not permit me to describe it.
At Ruedesheim where we stopped, we saw a monument erected by the Germans after the Franco Prussian war of 1871 to 1872. It stands on top of the hill "Germania," overlooking France, and waving to that country not to force Germany to war again in an effort to wrest Father Rhine from the Germans. The monument is the largest of its kind in the world, being made of cannon captured from the French during the war. Next we went to Frankfort where we stayed four days so as to give Mrs. ROTH a rest, both of her feet had given out so that she could not travel any more. Next we spent two days at Applewein Garden where they sell nothing but Applewein (cider). To take in the conditions prevailing in this place will give a person an idea of real German life. Hamburg was our next stopping place and while there we decided to go home on the Steamer Moltke which was to sail from Hamburg on July 14. At 4 p.m., on that day we left for Dover, England, from which place we went to Boulogue, France and from there to New York, arriving at Hoboken at 10 o'clock a.m., Sunday July 24. On the return trip we had a mixed crowd, about seven-eights of them being Russian Jews. The return trip was not near as pleasant as the outward voyage. Mrs. ROTH, Lizzie and myself are glad that we are safe at home again in the midst of our friends.
Hermann ROTH
Another of the henious crimes that are horrifying the people of the country was perpetrated in broad daylight on Tuesday evening at Oak Lane, when Nellie CARRIGAN was assaulted by a brutal negro. The assault occurred within a short distance of the girl's home and every body is astonished at the daring outrage.
The locality is thickly populated yet no one was near enough to hear the cries of the girl so as to render assistance. A nearby neighbor heard the screams of the girl and rushed in the direction to ascertain the cause. As he came on the Old York road he saw a negro running at top speed and from a clump of bushes at the road side came pitiful screams. The man's bicycle was standing in front of his house and he at once leaped into the saddle and gave chase. On coming close the fugitive turned to the side of the road and leaped over the fence but by the time the pursuer had dismounted and followed across the fence all traces of the negro were lost. The pursuer quickly turned back whence the cries had issued from the bushes and there found Miss CARRIGAN lying on the ground in an unconscious condition. An alarm was raised and two of the neighbors carried the girl to her home where she was revived, after which she related her terrible experience and gave a description of her assailant. The police were called and searching parties were organized, and all night long an effort was made to apprehend the criminal but no trace of him could be found. The people are so indignant that they will meet out summary justice if the negro falls into their hands.
Alleging that water from a street sprinkler splashed on her dress and damaged it so as not to be fit to wear, Mrs. Allen LADNER, of Pottstown, has brought suit against the Empire Hook and Ladder Company of that borough for damages not to exceed $300. The case was heard before a local magistrate on Tuesday but he reserved his decision and will render it to-day.
Beury LANDIS, the two-year-old son of Marion LANDIS, of Allentown, while playing, found a bottle of Spanish oil that had been used by another of the children for tooth-ache, and drank the contents. A doctor was called and for some the child was at the point of death, but it is considered to be out of danger.
While James FOX, of Pennsburg, was emptying a revolver for the purpose of cleaning it, he accidentally pulled the tigger and shot himself. The bullet, a 32 calibre-short, passed entirely through the left hand very near the centre of the palm. Dr. WAAGE, of Pennsburg, was called to dress the wound.
The house of John BERGENSTOCK, of near Chestnut Hill Church was struck by lightning and the plastering and washboards were torn from the wall. When the storm arose the family was on the porch but they immediately entered the house. The dog remained outside and was killed.
A fierce battle was waged on Wednesday by Dr. Henry C. BRENNEMAN, of Mount Joy, with 25 copperhead snakes, near his home. With a scythe he killed the largest one, measuring 50 inches, and succeeded in cutting down and dispatching 24 more.
Three robbers pounced upon A.F. WEISER, of near North Wales, at Edge Hill, on Wednesday night. They robbed him of a wallet containing $100 after shooting him in the leg with a revolver.
The Burial Casket Company, of Boyertown, has installed additional machinery into its recently enlarged plant and is placing a 200 horse power electrical engine to operate the works.
For long years the sickle has been displaced by improved machinery as a harvesting implement and the man who can still handle the ancient cutting tool is hard to find in our day, but the village of Bally has a citizen who is still an expert in this kind of work and only last week this famous old harvester, Jacob ESSIK (picture), cut the grain around a three acre field with one of these antiquated tools, in order to get in and around the field with a binder. After all the grain of Mr. ESSIK had been cut by the binder, he conveyed the entire harvest to his barn on a hand wagon and felt no results from the work. The aged man in remarkably well preserved and is hearty and able to do any ordinary kind of farm work in almost the same time that it would take a man sixty years younger to do it. Mr. ESSIK was born in Vietenberg, Germany, on July 18, 1818 and is 86 years old. He remained in his native home until he was 29 years old. On his arrival in America he spent one year in Philadelphia. He then came to Bally and bought a tract of land in 1854, near the Mennonite Church. On this he built a house, doing all the work himself, as he had learned the carpentering trade in his native home, and a few years later built a barn. In 1851 he was married to Annie KEMP, of Landisville, Berks County. His wife died 16 years ago. The couple were blest with three children, William and Augustus, of Reading and Mary, who resides with her father. During the Civil War, Mr. ESSIK served as a soldier for 9 months in 1863, under Captain SCHOLL, and for this service he is drawing a pension. After returning from the war he followed his trade, working in the coal regions for twelve years, six of which were spent at Mahanoy City, his family remaining at Bally all the time.
At Lancaster, James GOOD, a machinist, aged 26 years, shot his 17 year old wife, Ella, on Wednesday evening, inflicting wounds from which death followed soon after and after shooting her twice turned the revolver on himself, pulled the trigger and died instantly. The pair were married two years ago and soon began to quarrel, as he was of a very jealous disposition. Ten days ago their quarrels lead to a separation, the girl wife going to the home of her parents.
On Wednesday the young woman went to Rocky Spring Park and there her husband met her and soon they were quarreling again. Later they left for the home of her parents and entered the kitchen and there in the presence of her mother, immediately upon entering and before the mother could interfere, the deed was committed. The wife received two bullets, one entering her brain and the other the heart. The bullet that killed GOOD paased through his heart.
Granville GERHARD, of Pennsburg, has bought the saw mill at Finland, which he formerly owned, from his brother and will take possessien at once and rebuilt it. He has also bought the portable saw mill of James MILLER, of Sumneytown, and will put it into work in the near future. As soon as suitable arrangements can be made Mr. GERHARD will move to Finland again and sell his house here if possible.
The 96 birthday anniversary of Mrs. Sarah RINKER, of Lower Saucon Northampton County, was celebrated on Tuesday. The aged woman is still possessed of all her faculties and gets along without glasses. She walks from her home to church every Sunday, a distance of more than a mile.
A strike has been instituted among the string bean pickers of the H.S. MILL Canning Company, of Springtown, Bucks County. The Cannery is kept running by uprooting the bean vines and picking the beans therefrom inside of the factory.
The Bucks County Historical Society laid the corner stone of their new $20,000 building, at Doylestown, on Tuesday. General W.W.H. DAVIS, president of the society, made the principal address.
Shortly after 5 o'clock on Monday evening, Marion RANKIN, of Andalusia, Bucks county, asked her mother to take a walk down the road. The permission was granted and the mother followed the little girl to the gate and looked after her as she ran merrily down hill. Mrs. RANKIN turned to go into the house when she heard the scream, "Oh! Mamma! Mamma! Save me!" Recognizing the voice of the child the mother hurried after her and had gone but a short distance when she met Joseph HEISER, aged 29, who in a fit of dimentia came galloping along, shouting and waving his arms, and a few steps further on was the child moaning in the arms of Scott FERRY, a blacksmith who had come to her assistance. The child was quickly taken to her home and a doctor summoned, but within five minutes she expired. The man who caused the fright is subject to epileptic fits and when taken by a spasm is a raving maniac. As a matter of precaution he has been placed in jail and an effort will be made to have him committed to the asylum at Norristown.
For being shaken by two ushers while snoring loudly during church service, a suit of assault and battery was brought by Mrs. Anastasia KANOVITCH, of Wilkes-barre. The magistrate before whom the hearing was held, discharged the ushers and imposed the costs on the woman with the remark that Church was a place of prayer and not of sleep.
Harry BARNSHAW, of Bridgeport, is engaged in loading walnut logs to be shipped from New York to Germany. This week he hauled a log from the farm of William GODSHALL of Worcester township, 16 1/2 feet long and 62 inches in diameter at each ends. The long weighed a little less than eight tons.
Samuel MARSH, aged 80 years, of McMichaels, Monroe county, has the record of binding 2000 sheaves of rye during the harvest just finished. Farm hands were scarce so Mr. MARSH concluded to extend a helping hand.
Rev. Irl R. HICKS, the weather prophet, predicts intense heat, destructive storms, tornadoes and some cool nights for the month of August.
A quiet and unostentations wedding took place on Saturday, at New York, the contracting parties being Alfred S. SCHANTZ, of East Greenville, and Ida M. DICKENSHIED, of Plover. The bride is the accomplished daughter of Dr. J.H. and Mrs. A.M. DICKENSHIED. She is a graduate of the College for Women at Allentown and taught school for a number of years. The groom was raised on a farm at Hosensack, Lehigh county, being the son of Solomon SCHANTZ. Mr. SCHANTZ some years ago learned silk weaving at Allentown and about eight years ago started the manufacture of silk with a few looms in what is now known as the John J. HILLEGASS cigar box factory. The accommodations at his place soon proved too small and additional room was secured for several looms in the East Greenville machine shop. The business continued to grow and at the instance of Mr. SCHANTZ a stock company was formed to build the Columbia Silk Mill of East Greenville, of which he and his two partners became the lessors. About five years ago he associated himself with his brother, Oliver, of Pennsburg, to form the Eureka Ribbon Company for which a stock company erected a suitable building at Pennsburg.
Mr. SCHANTZ continues to be at the head of both silk mills and both are meeting with abundant success under his management. The employes under him number about 150 all of whom honor and revere him for his kind and uniform treatment.
The wedding ceremony was performed by Rev. Geo. C.T. HASS, pastor of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, the congregation that took the fatal trip on the S.S. General Slocum on June 15, in which disaster the pastor lost his wife, daughter, mother-in-law and nephew.
The wounding of a robber at Treichler's mill, Hereford, early Monday morning, did not deter members, undoubtedly of the same gang, from robbing Lumber Dealer and Banker Jeremiah MUTHARDT, of Boyertown, of nearly $125, late Tuesday night. The latter had been paying out various sums during the evening, and this led him to go to bed and forget to lock his safe, in the dining room of his home. This left the robbers easy work after they had broken into the house. The $5, $10 and $20 gold coins stolen were all dated 1843, and this fact may lead to the capture of the thieves.
Clerk of Courts GROFF has issued the following marriage licenses: Harry KEYSER and Annie RAHN, Frederick; Preston G. FREED, Telford, and Florence G. HOFF, West Telford; William T. YODER, Niantic, and Stella N. GRIESAMER, East Greenville.
St. Paul's Lutheran picnic will be held on August 20, near the church. On this occasion Rev. Charles L. SEASHOLES, of Philadelphia, will make an address. Mr. SEASHOLES is an able speaker and has many friends and relatives in this community.
A girl baby, weighing nineteen pounds was born on Wednesday at McKeesport. This is supposed to be the prize heavyweight youngster of the entire state. The parents are Mr. and Mrs. George ARNFIELD.
An attempt was made by several bold thieves, on Sunday night to rob several houses in the vicinity of Hereford, but on one being shot and perhaps fatally wounded, the prowlers escape in their carriage. Operations were commenced on the farm house of Henry S. TREICHLER, at about 2 o'clock, on Monday morning. The house being full of summer boarders from Philadelphia, one of whom heard a noise and about the same time Mr. TREICHLER also heard the intruders. The next instant the aroused inmates were blinded by a sudden flash from a small electric button search light which the thieves used to investigate the door fastenings. A rush was made for guns and revolvers by the inmates so as to give the burglars a warm reception, but becoming alarmed, they jumped into their carriage and drove away. The next stop was made at the Treichler mill, about 20 rods away, directly in front of the residence of H.S. TREICHLER, who having been awakened by the barking of the dogs, was on the watch for the cause. Immediately on coming to a stop the raiders commenced to investigate the building with their flash light. Mr. TREICHLER, seized the best of six good guns that he keeps in a closet, but a few feet away from hs bed and about that time he was observed by the men on the outside. One of the thieves called to the other, "jump in," and gave the horse the whip, Mr. TREICHLER fired, thinking them desperate men, and there was a howl of pain. The other robber grasped the lines and drove away in desperation while the guests of the big farm house were at the windows and looked on. It is certain that one of the thieves was wounded, but how badly, will never be found out unless the wound is mortal. For some time Hereford has been raided and not only Mr. TREICHLER, but the entire neighborhood, is fully armed and any gang trying to make a raid, will be getting a warm reception.
Ruth, the two-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H.M. HUBER, of Pottstown, had a narrow escape from poisoning. A medicine bottle containing a deadly drug had by accident been left standing within the reach of the child, she seized it and drank some of the contents. Emetics were promptly applied and the life of the child was saved.
A clause in the advertisement for help in the factory of the Lindner Shoe Company, of Carlisle, reads: "No person addicted to the cigarette habit need apply." The company does not want any more of the cigarette fiends as they say their experience proves that most of them are mentally and physically impaired.
A Lutheran Rally under the auspices of the Lutheran Congregations along the North Penn will be held in Menlo Park, Perkasie, July 30th. A principal feature will be that the inmates of the Lutheran Orphans' Home and Asylum for the aged, at Germantown, will all be present at the expense of the congregations and will have share in a large part of the program which consists of recitations, songs, drills, etc. Addresses will also be made by Rev. Dr. J.A.W. HAAS, president of Muhlenberg College, on "Education;" by Rev. A.S. FICHTHORN, of Philadelphia, on "Foreign Missions;" and by Rev. Dr. G.C. BERKEMEIER, of Mt. Vernon, N.Y., on "Orphans' Home." Rev. FICHTHORN spent a year as missionary in India, and is well qualified to speak on the subject. Dr. BERKEMEIER is Superintendent of the Lutheran Orphans' Home at Mt. Vernon, N.Y.
What Benjamin F. BECKER, a carpenter of Fogelsville, thought was the nest of a mouse, behind the old schoolhouse blackboard at Kuhnsville, was the hiding place of a copperhead snake. Mr. BECKER jokingly remarked to his fellow employee, Mr. KUDER, "Watch me bring out a nest full of young mice." To his utter astonishment a copperhead snake sprang out and made a frantic attempt to fasten its poisonous fangs into the frightened man's hand. The reptile was killed. The men are engaged in putting up a new schoolhouse at Kuhnsville and wanted to take down the blackboard in the old building when the snake tried to interfere. Mr. BECKER was so frightfully scared at the unexpected appearance of the snake that he was almost prostrated.
Jonathan SCHANZENBACH, son of Preston SCHANTZENBACH, residing near Seislove's Mill, between Emaus and Macungie, was held up by highwaymen between Macungie and the toll-gate on the turnpike leading to Shimersville. Young SCHANTZENBACH had taken a hired team back to Macungie and when returning to his home ran into a gang of men who were after chickens in that neighborhood. They chased the young boy back to Macungie, badly scared, after relieving him of his cash. He has no idea who his assailants were.
On the scenic railway at Chestnut Hill Park, on Sunday night, a car became blocked on top of a steep incline, and another coming on close behind ran into it. Other cars came rushing into the first two and men and women were thrown in all directions, some falling to the ground thirty feet below. Eight of the occupants of the cars were seriously injured and taken to the Germantown Hospital. Many of those in the crash were treated on the spot by nearby physicians and removed to their homes.
Three young men, of Phoenixville, banded themselves together to emulate the young Chicago bandits that were recently hanged. Of late the trio has been robbing cars, shops, stores, factories, etc. and hiding the plunder. Samuel F. MEICHNER, aged 22, was arrested on suspicion and confessed, implicating two others, one of whom is a member of the militia and is at Camp at Gettysburg this week.
Joseph COOPER, aged 14, employed in a Reading Department store, accidentally hanged himself in a cloak room on Saturday. The boy when found, was lying on the floor with a twine around his neck. He had suspended himself to a clothes hook and the twine broke. Investigation shows that the boy met death while playing "circus," and that it was entirely accidental.
Mrs. Mary NIXON, of Bryn Mawr, died on Sunday at the age of 103. The aged woman was born on Christmas, 1800 and has always enjoyed good health until a few weeks ago. She is survived by 18 grand-children.
At the call of the chairman of the Standing Committee, Charles MCAVOY, more than one hundred of the prominent Democrats and party workers of the county assembled at the residence of the chairman on Thursday afternoon. An executive committee was organized and plans formulated for the purpose of carrying on a lively campaign. The chairman detailed some of his plans and all are assured, that if aggressively executed the county can be carried. The date, August 30, has been set for the holding of the County Convention. This meeting will be very largely attended and the candidates will be the choice of the party. Many candidates have this far announced themselves and from the list a ticket will be selected that will appeal to all voters regardless of party. The county ticket headed by the electors of the standard bearers, Parker and Davis, will consequently be one that every voter can support and there is every possible indication that the Democrats will carry the county. No slate has been arranged for the voters to support and the candidates who will be named will be the choice of the people. Among those who are most prominently mentioned for county officers are District Attorney John EVANS, Esq., of Pottstown; Sheriff J.M. LEWIN, of Royersford; County Treasurer, George N. MALSBERGER, of Pottstown; Coroner Dr. J.J. KANE, of Norristown, and Director of the Poor, Josiah FREAS, of Plymouth. There are numerous candidates mentioned for Legislative honors.
On the old barn-floor on a rainy day, a half a dozen of farmer boys, swing from mourn till night the thrashing flail. How they did sweat, if the same was brought on by the hard toil or by the frequent indulgence of that good old fashioned "Snops," we let the reader decide, but the event was a good pastime, and stories were exchanged and the questions of the day discussed, as well as the other fellow's failures. The husking bee was another of the happy events. In those good old days, they had good old ways, and quite a different way was resorted to in order to get the beautiful yellow corn into the corn crib. When the corn was fit to cure the top was cut off below the ear and both tied up in bundles, which were stood together in shocks to cure; then came the husking bee, from fifty to one hundred persons taking possession of a corn field on an Indian summer day in October, when the falling leaves indicated the near approach of cooler weather. Several teams were on hand on which the corn was loaded as fast as the huskers were able to husk, and the corn acreage of an entire farm was nearly always husked in a single day and night. Some farmers, however, broke off the ears and hauled them upon the barn floor, where all sat around the pyramid of corn, swiftly husking along; when suddenly some young man found a red ear of corn, which entitled him to kiss the girl of his choice, which was prerogative of which the finder was always anxious to take advantage. In those olden times kissing was one of the fads of the day. Oh! How the sweet girls used to smuggle the red ears into the other fellow's basket until each of the young men had a chance to kiss one or either all of the girls. Sometimes the tables were turned and the girls played the roll of finder and osculated upon the cheek of the best sport to their estimation. Occasionally a bashful girl was found among the number, who strenously opposed the public kissing, which always resulted in uproarious applause by the other huskers and a final victory for the finder of the red ear. After this period the barn-floor husking matches became unfashionable and the husking bees were held on moonlight evenings in the open fields. A number of corn shocks, for instance a score of them were carried together, and the same ethics prevailed, and the red ear played just as prominent a part. When the evening drew to a close, the party, or at least the maidens and their lassies, enjoyed various outdoor games, such as were customary to that day, and in the mean time the married sisters and their mothers busied themselves in the kitchen, getting the old fashioned dinner plates out of the still more antiquated corner cupboard. The pies and cakes were carried from the springhouse, which stood in the adjoining meadow, and with slices of good dried beef, lemonade, and some other delicacies, the happy group of huskers sat down to the most enjoyable midnight meal. To-day the corn husking match is numbered with the past in most parts of the Pennsylvania German settlements and the public osculation is no more, except now and then, when lovers do meet and help each other to husk a shock in partnership. Another feature which often occurred at those husking bees, was the old fashioned barn-floor dance, and as soon as the corn was all husked, the barn-floor was quickly cleared, and "Joe" the fiddler, who had already rosined his primitive fiddle stick a fortnight before, perched himself on a large store box in one corner of the barn-floor, and how he made that fiddle stick fly from one end to the other, and how those fair maidens did dance, and how they swung their partners around upon that old plank floor. Such dances have not been seen in this section within the last thirty years. They have made history, and the young men and women of to-day do not know what the old country dance is, or really was, they have only a slight idea and this can be seen, when they try to imitate their grandmothers at a country hotel. They were merry husking bees, with the farewell waltz at midnight. It takes those gray old veterans who are still with us, back to their boyhood days, and nothing else enables them to recall such pleasant memories.
Such has been, in part, the life of the average farmer in "Ye Olden Times," and as varied as his experience was, intermingled with joy and happiness, they had at least one pleasure, which not all enjoy to-day, which seemed to be a common rule among them, and that was the liberty to enjoy good health, due to their frugal living and their outdoor exercise during the entire year. But those days are all numbered among the past, and we, the younger generations, could not revive them, even if we wished to, as farm laborers are too scarce, although quite a number of women have for the last two years been seen in the fields at work, helping to make the hay, cut the grain and load the sheaves of wheat and rye, as did their grand-mothers sixty years ago, but too many have forsaken the farm and are now clerking in the large department stores in our larger cities; others have learned a profession, and still others have learned to be hard workers in the various large industrial plants, where they get better wages than do their brothers, who weary themselves with their master's day-book, journal and ledger accounts. This marvelous change brought on the universal demand for improved farming machinery, which necessitated improved methods of farming, and the farmer has awakened to the demand and organizations are formed everywhere for his common welfare, and to-day the ideal man behind the plow is a lover of nature. He is a thinking man, as well as a planning encyclopedia, and all the successful undertakings have been in their beginning carefully thought over and well planned by our up-to-date progressive farmers of the Twentieth Century. The venerable farmers of the old school, who laid the foundation stone for their children and grand-children, can now retire and look into the sphere of farming life with the assurity of satisfaction; they can see that the wheel of progression on the farm is turning out to be a wheel of fortune, and that the pilot must be, as of old, a practical commonsense farmer, a man full of grit and determination, and, as of old, the successful farmer must be a sociable man, for sociability has a brightening effect upon the farmer's life.
Those old timers seldom brooded over the ills of their lives. There is no occupation that has not now and then some discouraging features, and while the farmers of the present time, as well as those of a century ago, were not exempt, yet the health that comes to the tiller of the soil, can be taken as so much wealth, as he it is, who breathes the pure air, sweetened by the dews from heaven, uncontaminated by the sulphur, smoke and dirt of city and town. To him alone, is the privilege granted of making the home attractive; the surroundings of his farmhosue, beautiful with evergreens and flowers, which at this age must be done to keep apace with the numerous attractions and allurements of the city, and nature has provided material for every farmer to make his home the dearest, the grandest the most endearing and attractive spot on earth. And all this within the last fifty years, and now that the farmer enjoys the rural telegraph and telephone; the steam and electric roads; the good mail facilities and the hundreds of improved farming implements, the farmer makes more profit than did his forefathers. If at the end of the year, he has just as large a credit balance is a question, as he enjoys more of the luxuries of life. He spends more for educational purposes, his home is supplied with better and more literature. The forefather's only medium of news was a weekly German paper, where his grandson now enjoys the city daily, the leading weeklies of his neighborhood, the best monthlies, and his library is filled with the best books, if however, this is taken in consideration, the farmer of to-day, is living with just as much profit sharing results, but while not hoarding it to his bosom, he rather wishes to make use of it and enjoy the blessed fruits he has sown during the long sunny days of his youthful life of toil on his farm. It is needless to reiterate that the young farmers of the twentieth century live in a happier and brighter mood, and do the work in a similar jolly manner as in "Ye Good Old Days" and their farming life has become a joy in reality, and not a drudgery, and the old long hours of toil, which secured but few of the comforts, are now gone and almost forgotten.
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