Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-05-14
NEEDS.


THAT cabih rude q rottihe LOGS, whose door
itsidnpes lAt1ts,f tsfl Iii 3 Ntf tGI
Before 4 stand two starveling ours, a brush
Behind Il, ranged in crooked rows, ismaize Of
varying height;
One side, some stunted cabbages, that sore
the slug. worms smiie; ~
A broken worm. fence round the place,
witch Dluch rcpaiting needs,
Where ifthe corners densely grow the rank
est nONiOuS weeds
That has been William EllSin's home, II home
should be the name
OF any place where folk reside with idleness
and shame.
And yodder house across the road, low. rooted
and sprcading Etde, 49, a.. ~,
The %Ss .,S sSSa 9.;isS tAs stsbles trim, the
The kennel shtig where Rose for. years alter
nate watched and dozed = year
The lonk.,sfiRaaht rows of deep green mEize
the garden filed With all ~
The toothsone plants in thrifty growth from
early spring 70 tau .t nm tl-l
The fruis'trees in the angles of the woedless
ziuzeR fence
Budd Martin closes there a life of well earned
competence .ir' o.. p. .sl
quite remember when they. came Il was of
ae0fh1t- -V,lat,s islail .fhl y -'sf'a'
Twas nothing but a wilderness when these
two settled here.
Each took quarter section as Homestead
land was free;
Each nuiIt a cabin, and attacked with vigor
rock and tree;
But Elkin coming first secured the cholcer
piece of land,
A gentle sloping knoll that had brook on
either hand;
While Martin got a patch of ground more
broken and less rich
with fourteen acres lying low, that he must
drain or ditch.
Both laborcd long and labored well, and
broke and cleared the gr0und
And field field in tilfh. and all
looked well around.
The virgin soil gave heavy crops, sweet grass
and golden grain
Filled hay NOV high and corn crib full, while
creaked the loaded vain;
And all the settlers far and near in passing
by the place,
Agreed that TO q prosperous goal the two
made even pace;
And alhwas well till Barton came, and he, his
bread to win,
Where crossed the roads, q mile away, opened
the Farmers Inn.
A pleasant man was Barton, and he kept II
pleasant place,
And bore n look OF welcome in his round and
Jolly face
And Elkin twice n week or so, to taste the
fine old rye"
Would saunter out to Barton's there; but
Mar In he was shy.
" His farm engaged his mind too much," che
had no time to spare"
But Elkin only laughed at that, and Knocked
his quiet air,
And mimfcked ali he said so wen that Barton
and the rest
Declared of all droll fellows round, Bill Elkin
was the best.
They bore all this to Martin. "Wen," he said,
he means no harm; .t....s....
But every weed grown in a man, brings thou
sands to his farm.
I've many here TO trouble me; clean cultures
hard to win,
But, as with those that spring from earth, 1
try to pillow them I'm.
Bad habits are rtmk-growing weeds; yet If
youperseVere, - -.
And pull them up, orplow them in, the ground
will soon be clear;
But he who waits, and let's them grow and
bloom and come to seed,
WIN have to harvest in the end fearful crop
indeed"
And so the weeds in EllUn's life, and weeds
on Elkin's farm,
Grew both apace, and in the end brought
farm and man to harm.
While Martin thrOve, and found his ground its
yearly crop increase,
And won his way to competence, and happi-
ness, and peace,
Poor Elkin's tarm and Elkin's self went down
in every way,
Until the mortgage Which he gave has been
foreclosed to day,
And all his wretched family, homeless and
scant of friends,
Are pensioners on Martin now-and SO my
story ends.
Thos. Dunn English, in N. Y. Ledger.