Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1880-03-13

Then Kirg, Jaiati thanked him, and wished him
And printed on his forehead a fathers tender
But death came on, and. dying, he said: My
go where Youth is endless, and leave to you
my throne.
o. better far than riches. or kingly power. in
Shines forth the golden kingdom we enter on in
For never ruled monarch who would not give.
with joy,
His wealth and power and glory to be once more
boy!
Joel Benton, In N r Independent.
KEEP THE REINs IN YOUR OWN
HANDS.
There comes time IN some mems
lives when they must make decision
with regard to the arrangements of their
property, even while they live, because
age has come upon them, almost like a
thief in the night; and their limbs have
become stiffened, and refuse to do the
work which in their youth was pleas
ant. Even to think of bodily toll
wearies them. Perhaps their fingers
are not so stiff but that they can milk
two or three cows, but their knees are
not supple enough to bend easily to the
level of the milking stool. They can
sit in the barn and husk corn, on a
pleasant autumn morning, and can feed
the stock. and even work the hay cutter;
they must do some few "choresn or
they cannot feel contented, as they
were not born or educated to be drones
in the great beehive of the world. At
four years of age, wee toddling babes
as they were, they delighted to follow
in their fathers footsteps, and pick up
potatoes, or throw the seed into the
burrows, and to feel that they worked
and sshelped father" But all is
changed now, and morning and even
ing they loiter by the fireside, dreading
to rise from the old arm chair, and go
out to see what John or Patrick is doing
in the barn or wood house, and give
orders for the days work.
Yet when once astir, very likely de-
sire to drive to the post office or the
village store arises, and orders are given
to harness the old mare into the wagon,
to bring her to the door. Then muffied
up with overcoa5, uppet, cap and nit
tens, If it is wintry weather, away they
drive, over hill and dale, until the vii
lagos center is reached, and they hear
the news of the day. If they have
wives and buxom maiden daughters to
receive them, let them rejoice that low
ing hands minister to their needs. But
If these blessings have been taken from
them, ii they have been obliged to share
: the old farm with their sons and their
families, the picture often shows anoth-
er side not quite as bright.
For the sons must have their portion,
of course, as they have families growing
up on their hands; and must look for
ward to educating them; and if their
hard work keeps the farm in prosperity
they should receive sufficient to remu-
nerate them for their toll. The fathers
usually recognize the rights their sons
possess and MAKE them an allowance.
But If they are wise, they will still keep
the reins, PARTLY, in their own hands,
and will be the owners of the farms,
and have the power to do as thev please
to drive them to the store, when the
fancy seizes them to do so, and 90
where they choose without asking any
ones permission-in short, will remain
masters of the situation. Often. how
ever, the sons will object to taking q
second place, and will urge their ia
theirs to make over the farms to them,
promising faithfully, and doubtless
meaning to keep their promises, that
they shall have every comfort that they
have had heretofore; shall be paid q
quarterly allowance, and shall retain the
old bedroom, and the old armchair in
the snugg6st corner. Yet it needs 8
lawyer who understands human nature
thoroughly to draw up such contract,
and one whose heart is in favor of the
aged rather than the young, in order
that the old mans privileges NAV be
fully described and the penalty of los.
ing the farm attached if they are cur.
tailed.
Perhaps my cid friend Mr.. Lamson's
experience will point the moral I desire
to enforce. He outlived his wife and
daughters, and his son brought his wife
and family to fill their places and make
the old man comfortable. He reached
the age when the grasshopper became
burden, and his heart was no longer
engrossed with buying and selling and
making the farm productive. So ar
rangements were made whereby the
son should feel well paid for his labors,
but the father should hold the reins,
even if he did not drive, and do what
work he pleased. For two years this
plan worked well, and they seemed 8
united. happy family; stgrandpan was
well cared for and respected by all. and
could go wherever he pleased. Almost
daily he took drive to the village and
visited the store, whose owner was his
friend and adviser. But one day he
came down earlier than usual and asked
to see Mr.. Munroe in private, and told
him he was on his way to the lawyers
office to convey his farm to his son.
Mr.. Munroe shook his head slowly a.
this information and said: ssDon' t do it
Hold the reins and let Jim drive. HUI
man natur is too weak to trust. Dom
tempt Jim.''
Tempt himI'' echoed Mr.. Lamson
"Why, Munroe, what do you mean?
give him the farm and he boards m,
and gives me twenty-five dollars ever,
three months. and I give him the stool
and farming tools and thousand dol
lars in bank stock. See, here's tn,
agreement all written down; can't b,
no mistake, and needn't worry abou
the crops or the stock or anything, bu
just sit by the fire and doze, and reat
the newspapers and see how the politi
clans fight, and drive down the hill ant
see you every day."
MIR. Munroe read the agreement, ant
said In his slow, quiet way: ssHum
Nothing about horse to drive here
When the old mare isn't yours, howl
you come down the hillp You cam
foot it very spry."
Foot itr' cried MIR. Lamson s.Lant
o. Goshen! Whose a-going to foot it
Haven't got the old mare and tina
fine team besides, and three as likel,
colts as this country ever saw? Wha
are you thinking aboutP''
'tNone on 'em yours arter you'v,
signed that deed,n said his friend
.'My advice is, hold on to your farm
till you're dead. I've been in this tow
over thirty year; I've seen such case
afore."
But Mr.. Lamson had strong leave1
of obstinacy in his composition, and tn
more his friend urged him not to con
yey the farm, the more he was boun'
to do 1t.