One of the brightest spots in my memory is the remembrance of "Rose Valley" my childhood's happy home. Every pleasant occurrence of my boyhood clusters around that never-to-be forgotten name. It has acted like a guide, a land mark for me through my life; and my great aim in life has been to make my own home just like dear "Rose Valley." To begin the work, I have set my own house in order; and the following names given to the farms under my care will practically illustrate my plan.
| Former owners. | Farm names. | Present tenants. | |
| Thompson | Place | Hickory Ridge | A. Maddox |
| Home | " | Elmwood | Mr. Houck's home |
| Doutey | " | South Elmwood | D.Q. Renfrue |
| Horroll | " | Gravel Hill | T.H. Miller |
| Conran | " | Cedar Grove | A. Miller |
| Casebolt | " | Millbrook | C. Blettner |
| Harness | " | Burnside | A. Tunge |
| Heller | " | Pleasant Hill | J.H. Kempf |
| Lewis | " | Woodlawn | W. Lewis |
| Oaks' | " | Castle Rock | Noah Neff |
| Held | " | The Glade | W. Reubelman |
| Jackson | " | Beechwald | G. Edwards |
| Bottom | " | Deerfield | . . . . . . . . . . . . |
| Benna | " | The Mound | R. Oliver |
| Williams | " | Blacklands | W. Mitchel |
| McGee | " | Lone Tree | Tom Miller |
| Johnson | " | South Park | Owen Bush |
| New Land | Cedar Cliff | Peter Heller | |
| " " | Cypress Grove | Geo. Surlett | |
| Old Homestead | Middle Park | Johd Meintz | |
| West of City | West Park | Dave Meintz | |
| East of R. By. | Spring Park | Jas. Ballinger | |
| Manning Place | Longview | Aug. Klemme | |
| Cox | " | Meadow Hill | H. Stinehoff |
| Davis | " | Lilypond | Chas. Davis |
| Renfroe | " | Beechfield | I. Renfroe |
| Ruble | " | Sycamore Springs | Mrs. Sarah Miller |
| Bair | Clover Hill | W. Gunter | |
| Edmonson | " | Riverside | J.H. Relley |
| New | " | Cotton Grove | W.H. Henson |
| Garaghty | " | Wheatland | J.H. Relley |
| Price | " | Roundpond | W. Miller |
| Jordan | " | Parsonage | Wm. Jackson |
| Bird | " | Richwood | Mrs. Jackson |
| Laseley | " | Richland | W. Lackey |
| New | " | Lakeside | D. Edmunson |
| New | " | The Island | Geo. Laseley |
| Sexton | " | Beech Hill | J.H. Irving |
| Martin | " | Creekfield | Joe Bair |
| Miss Co | " | Catalpa Grove | Geo. Burns |
| Cramer | " | Hubbleside | . . . . . . . . . . . . |
| Miller | " | Spring Grove | A. Miller |
| Brown | " | East Gravel Hill | J.H. Miller |
I give these as samples to guide my brother farmers in selecting names for their homes. Every one of those farms can be identified by some local peculiarity, prominent and visible. For instance, Davis place is situated close to a large pond covered with white lilies. Standing on the doorsteps of the Manning place you can view a ten-mile stretch of the Mississippi river, while Mr. Relley's place is situated on the banks of that great stream. Such names can be multiplied to an indefinite extent, and duplicated in each county.
If such names were generally in use, it would greatly assist postmasters in their difficult task of knowing which Smith or Brown was intended.
Now brother farmers, I have moved the adoption of appropriate names for every farm in the land; who will second the motion? Give your wives and daughters a chance to name the homestead, and my word for it, it will be both musical and appropriate. Let us give our children something pleasant to think of after they have left the dear old home. To afix the name, paint it on a large board and nail it over your front gate.
Alex Ross,
Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Diogenes in His Tub.
Allow me, Messrs. Editors, to give you notes of what I see, and hear, and learn, and cogitate, and endeavor to inculcate, from my snug little home in my Tub—will you not?
Well—having your assent, I begin by wishing you all—editors, correspondents, typos, and "devils"—a Happy New Year, and your excellent paper unlimited success in 1884, and a long life thereafter. Next, permit me to advert to the contents of some