The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-05-02
SPRING WGRE.
THE HEERY, MERRY FARMERS BOY

THE MERRY, MERRY FARMERS BOY.
From August to Macomb, every field
was full of ploughS and patient farmers.
Dear, patient, gOOd-naJured gTumbling
a2TicultuTiSts. Where the farmer gets
his good nature from is mystery to me
every time l look at him. l watched
him to-day from the car window, plOd-
ding along ut the tail of the plOw, and
wondered that he ever smiled at all un-
der any provOcatiOn. OF all men it
seems to me the farmer has the hest
right to grumble. Only. he never gTunl-
bles at the right things He grumbles
at prices, and then nobody symp2thizes
with him nor cares a cent for his troa-
bles, because we gTumble at the same
thing. Prices never did suit anybody.
The seller always thinks they are too
low, and the buyer always knows they
are too high. The merchant goes into
bankruptcy because he is compelled to
sell his goods for half what they cost
him ; and the customer goes naked and
starves because he can't afford 10 pay
one-half what Is asked for them. So the
farmer, when he gTumbles at prices, is
no worse off than the rest of US, and aC-
cordiugiy attracts no sympathy.
But mere is where, to my way OF think
ing. the gazelle comes in for the farmer.
1t is spring and the annual warfare
begins. Early inthe morning the jOcmd
farmer hieS him to the field, and hunts
around in the dead weeds and grass for
the pl0w he left out there somewhere
sometim last fall. When he finds it he
takes it to the shop to have il mended.
When it is mended, he goes back into
the field with it. Half way down the
first furrOw he lays, he runs the plough
fairly into big live oak root, the han
dies alternately break a rib on this side
of him and jab the breath out of him on
the other, and the sturdy root, looking
UP out OF the ground with pleased
smile of recognition, says cheerfully:
"Ah, Nr Thistlepod, at 1t again.
eh -
Fifty feet farther on he strikes a stone
that doubles up the plough point like 4
piece Of lead, and while the amazed and
breathleSS agTicultuTiSt leans, limp
heap of humanity, across the plough, the
relic Of the glacial period remarks,
sleepily:
"Ah, ha; spring here already Glad
you woke me up
And then the granger sits down and
patiently tries to tie on that plough
point with hickory withe; and while
he purSues his fruitless task the friendly
crow swOopS down near enough To ask
Coin to put this twenty III corn, this
year, Mr. Thistlepod -
And before he has time to answer the
sable bird, tiny grasShopper, wrigglmg
out of a clod SO full of eggs that they
can't be counted, shouts briSkly
Here We are again, Mr.. ThistlepOd
dinner for 900, 600, ,UDU, 600 ~
And then q slow moving but very pos
tive pot alto bug crawls out into the sun
+ light to see If the frost has faded hI>
+ stripes, and says:
/ The old fashioned peachblow potatoe:
are the best for a sure crop, but tht
early rose should be planted for the tirst
market"
Then several new kinds of bugs who
1 haven't made any record yet, climb Ovel
/ the fence and come up to inquire abOu
the staple crops of the neighbOrhood
and before he can get through with then
. Professor Tice sends him q circular stat
ing that there won't be a drop of raiI
from the middle of May till the last o
October This almost stuns him, but h
IS beginning to feel little Tesigne,
when q dispatch Is received from the de
uartmpnt of agriculture at " aShingtOn
saving that all indications point to
+ summer of unprecedented. almost inceS
SAINT and long continued rains and floods
and advising him to plant no root crop
at all While he is trying to lind word
in which to express his emotion neigh
Dor drops in to tell him that the peacl
trees in the country are winter killed
and that the hog cholera is raging fear
fully in the northern part of the town
ship. Then his wife comes out to tel
him the dog has fallen into the well, am
when the poor man gets to the door yard
his children with much shouting an'
excitement meet him and tell him ther
are a couple of cats. Of the pole denomi
nation, in the spring house, and anothe
one under the barn. With tears ant
rroans he returns to the field, but by tina
time il has begun to snow 50 hard IA
can't see the horses when he stands a
his plough. He is discouraged ant
starts for the house with his team. whel
he meets man who bOUnceS him 10
using a three horse clevis he made him
self. and NringS ten reluctant dollars on
of him for H. When he reaches tn
house the drive well man is waiting fo
him. and while he is settling with hin
a clock peddlercOmeS in. and a liChtnin
rod man. screened by the storm, clint
up on the ten dollar smoke house an
fastens % dollars worth OF lightning ROD
on it. and before the poor farmer can e
his gun half loaded, the bailiff comes
to tell him that he has been drawn O
the jury.
No. | would not, even if l could, be
farmer.
The life is pleasant and independen
but it seems to have its drawbacks.
II ] were a farmer ! would grumb
all I wanted, and thump the man vi
, found fault with me for il. r. !. i.