Richland beacon., 1873-11-08
OLD FARMER BRO wv.
BY RrerNK ,. FALL.


From the hsrvest-Hed, old Farmer Brown came
horne with lock Of care;
He threw his hat on the floor, and sat down In his
old splint -bo.toiped chair;
He wiped the swes. from his dripping brow, and
pulled out his old jsck-knfe;
He wbitted away 10 himself awhile, and called TO
his little wife.
From her quapt aud tidy kitchen, she came through
the opel door,
With her sleeves pinned up to her shoulders and
her skirt pinned up before.
She looked faded, wrinxed and worn - the folds
Of her ginghsm s.wp,
the face Of Fsru.er Brown.
Thsn down in her rocking CHAIR abe sank, in sort
Nor spoke ,'s one word bu. listened and looked to
bear what be might say.
Hannah. I'm sick alvin here, and wOrkin' from
A-raisin 'ts.ers .n corn to ssll, thss don't bring
Hero have worked together. for forty years, like
An th.t Old mortgage .inr lifted yot, that to
That Judgment note o. Deacon Dunns viii soon be
fsllin' due,
An where the moneys comm from, why, can't
tell, nor you.
I'm kept in seen worry an fret by oil O. these sort
That have to sell the STUFF that raise right OF for
what II brings.
II coat much for my taxes now. an to keep the
Tnst haven't no chance to make cent. an that is
what's to pay.
Hannah, we've 6oth on us grown old. sn' our chill
There j. no ons now TIA. il ief. ct home for Us to
depend upon.
Amt Is strong Is used to be- nor o able 10 work,
know;
But I've got to Sc; them matters square. and tie
farm II have " 20.
HAT o. the world lives idle, with plenty 70 eat an
wear,
An the ones who work the hardest have often the
least - spare.
The farmers work tn their forms bent, an their
hands arc hard an brown;
Tho workInon delve in the dust an smoke O. the
workshops in the town;
The sturdy sailors bring TO our shorss the wealth
An ths oths Lsf o the world subssts by the work
o. these hardened hands.
An this is one O. The reasons why csnf pay what
whns you sn'I arc s-se.tin' old, and the farm Il
have tV ~.
"Ive worked in the woods In the winter.ttme, I've
piowed an sowed In the spring,
I've hood and dug through summer IN fsu. an
haven't nsdss thing.
Sometimes he awake ali uisht, an worry sn' fuss
an fret,
An never single wink O. sleep nor . bit O. rest
get.
,hins o our grown-up children, IN the LIE they've
They've got 70 hoe the same hard row - you az I
have done.
think o. the politicians, an tho way they rob an
An the more think o. ,arnn. the poorer II mahss
me feel.
The specaators buy up our cheese, cur butter, our
An they cell 'sm ialn for mors'n twice much -
they had TO pay.
They blred US In transportation, they Assos rs
They cheat u. on our provisions an they very
clothes We wear.
They live in thsir lofty houses, the best that can
be found,
Their wives wear dsxain diamonds, an their chill
drep loaf around;
In the summer they 90 to the ssashors an the
springs, to make show,
An that i. the way butter an cheese, an osr
corn an tsters 90.
!" We work in the sun oil summer. raise tursips an
Ths. the RAILROADS N: politicians may cheat US sn
They carry TIRE reins o. power. and vii till We all
They ruis an ruin the marksts. an We srs pack o.
slaves.
What's 70 bs dons7 God only knows. I've failed
In ry,n' to w sssls BY to case my dscl,nin days
I've worked an tried,
While the old FARMS been runnin' down sanos the
day that father died.
I've borrowed mOusy to pay my debts. an I've
watched the interest grow;
TIL 1t fairly got the start y me-, and the farm u
have to 60"
Thsn the little wife Of Farmer Brown stood mp upon
ths door,
And she looked st him in kind Of way thas she
nsvsr had before.
Ths burrows ned from her shrveled cheeks, and her
face grew all aGlow:
az never viii sign the deed, John, and the farm
shall never 20.
There jest tning 10 b dons, sure - you m
ere born:-
You must JOIN the Grange an vote, John, Il you
would sell your corn.
Hope an prayer srs good, John. for the man who
digs an deives
But heaven will never hslp u, John, unless We help
aint - chippsr an' smsrt an spry. nor - strong
- used 10 Be,
Bat I've eos hesp o spunk, John, whom its started
mp IN me-" ...--.
Ovsr the old uau fuYrowed face the tears began TO
He never had felt more strong and proud sincs
their wedding long ago;
A golden siesn q hssvsay hope hluminsd hh
soulS despair, -
And knseiins down on ths time-worn Soor, both
bowed their hesds in prayer.