The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-17
THE DAILY STAR
THE HONEST FARMER.

I have heard it said by Londoner
that though the country may be Area
dia, the people that live in it are pretty
much like the Burlington Arcadians, after
all. This cynical gentleman could never
have known Robert Foracre, who occu-
pied the Manor Farm, in Seton, the
village in Wiltshire in which my youth
was passed, and in whose quiet church
yard l hope to lay my bones. He was
the very model of the honest English
farmer, as represented upon the stage,
which is, as everybody knows, but the
reflection of human life. He had a
round face, twinkling with good humor,
and moderate prosperity; his eyes were
small, but bright and genial; his face re-
flected the simplicity and rectitude of
his mind, the richness of his crops, and
the warmth of the sun that ripened
them and when (as he often did) he
mopped it with his pocket-handkerchief,
it shone again like polished mahogany.
For the most part, agriculturists are
much given to grumble. Old Jacob
Arabic, who occupied the next largest
farm to Mr.. Foracre's in our parish, was,
for example, always complaining. In
the very best season the country had had
for years, our rector yentured to con-
gratulate him upon it:
Come, Mr.. Arabic, you must allow
that everything has worked together for
good up to this date?
"Well, l don't know SO much about
that, sir; there will be no damaged hay
for the young calves"
That is the way with what George El-
lot calls "bovine" men; they are never
satisfied with the arrangements of Provi-
dence; and what is worse, they are al
ways wanting things civilized persons do
not want-such as rain. | scarcely re-
member summer-that is, before this
one-when the country has not been rep
resented as in desperate state for lack
of something or another more or less dis
agreeable. For my part use what in
huence | can to get fine weather always.
| have noticed that the country gets over
it's troubles somehow; and then it lasts
forever, which l, unhappily Except in
my immortal works., shall not.
Well, Robert Foracre was glorious ex-
ception to these wet blankets. When /
used to say, 81 hope we shall have fine
weather for the cricket MATCH" he al
ways answered, 81 hope you will, Master
James," though all the time his fields
were parching; and when said, II hope
it will be wet tomorrow, because then
shan't go TO school," he said, Il hope SO
too, Master James," though all his hay
was lying out. When the Squire asked
him how his crops were getting on, he
always answered, "Nicely, sir" in a
word, he liked to make things comforta-
BILE all round, and if they were not 50, he
didn't make fuss about it. Robert al
ways reminded me, when little child,
of those chubby suns in the picture-books
which smile from the sky at the attempts
of Boreas and other puffed-out ministers
of storm and wind to produce unpleas-
antness AS J grew older he became
rustic divinity who dispensed syllabub
in an orchard. And when got to be
man, and lost my illusions, this good
farmer still remained to me as one of the
noblest works of Providence within my
limited horizon.
From what / have said as to his un-
ruffled temper and sanguine views, it will
be gathered that Mr. Robert Foracre was
a bachelor He had come as stranger
into our district when he was a young
fellow of four-and-twenty, and had re-
mained in it for forty years. in what l
may call state of siege from maidens
and widows, but had held out galantly,
and was at length pronounced impregna-
BILE. He was rallied, of course, about
this and that rustic beauty, but he only
Eplied with a good-humored laugh, or
by the modest confession that che was
not good enough for her." l used to
think this answer of the honest farmer
worthy of Machiavelli, of whom in all
probability he had never SO much as
heard. The objection in question has, of
course. been made before, but always
with the intention of winning the lady.
To use it AS means of escape was a
stroke of genius, and | am not sure but
that it would stand man in good stead
even in case of breach of promise of
marriage. 81 would have married her,
my lord judge, Heaven knows, but l
felt was not worthy of her." There is
a serious obligation about it reminding
one of the Decalogue, and also pathetic
touch suggesting an inscription on tomb
stone. There weer features about the man
that recalled to me the characteristics of
Tennyson's "Miller:" he had a "wise
smile," which would doubtless have been
"dry," had circumstances admitted of it,
and which seemed "half within and half
without, and full of dealings with the
world" For with all his quiet geniality,
Mr.. Foracre knew how to take care Of
himself. In Wiltshire we are not fond OF
strangers; we are simple race-some peo.
pie even call us "moon-rakers '*-and apt
to imagine that outsiders wish to take
advantage of us; and in the first instance
the honest young farmer was by no
means received with open arms His
modest ambition was to take a small
farm in the district, the whole of which
belonged to the Duke of Grampian, and