The Portland daily press., 1884-02-21
7 FL e Z r e s s.
THURSDAY MORNING. FEB. 81.
A Farmers Sorrow.
SARAH oRNE JEwETT.

SARAH OhNE JEWETT.
The clouds look low and heavy as if there would be
rain;
1t always means bad weather when you hear the
brook SO plain. ~" AoA- ''''
The wet won't make much trouble now, for all the
crops are in,
And yet somehow hate to see the long fall rains
begin.
couldn't the half read the air is close and
If were young as once was, I'd go up on the HILL
1t isn't as it used to be when could come and CO.
And keep upon my feet all day, now am stiff and
slow.
Iheres nothing in the paper; you take it if you
can't make head nor tail of half they nowadays
used to think the Farmer head of all the rest:
the best!
What does plain, old-fashioned man care whether
stocks go down?
My stock is all four-footedl but twill please the
Here's new machines preached every week, to help
the folks that SELL
And fashions for the women folks, and other trash
as well.
Twas readin' all this nonsense here, in winter by
the fire.
That made my boy get notions of the schools and
climbin' higher.
1t used to be so snug and warm stormy winters
night,
With snow-clicks at the windows. and the roarin'
fire for light.
Readin' and readin' till said twas more like toll
than play;
And couldn't hold the plough an hour or hardly lift
ayoke.
1t stole his mind from farmin', and he run up tall
and thin:
fought him hard enough at first. but afterward
They got the minister to come, his mother took his
Until let them have their way, although it broke
my heart.
Twas well enough for them to talk, and want go
And then my mind got distressed, couldn't sleep
at night.
Folks talk of edication as if the Latin showed
farmer how to cast accounts or how to stack a
load.
And then they got the minister, good, well-mean-
in
And Dan, he said, must have his chance and pretty
soon see
The book fools and the women folks would be too
much for me-
So Dan he got his schoolin and never no complaint
When give in don't take back, but 'twoud have
never knew the crops to fail as they did those
Or money be SO hard to get and was full of fears
never grumbled at his bills. but paid them one by
one;
And when the boy came home again with all his
couldn't ask him out afeld or let him do stroke
He looked just like white-skinned BIRCH and fell
like an oak.
But that was twenty years ago, and here We be to
day,
And I've got old and stiff, you see, and what wa.
once like play
have to hire strange folks to do, or else must lei
alone
Silas is willin', wants to work but he's boy half
grown.
Now. he's the kind of lad like; his cheeks look
If 1 could have my way, know, I'd let him have
the farm
Although he's but cousins son, he does seem near
to me
Yes, nearer, must say it straight-than Dan could
ever be.
Dams professor. and they say he knows as much
But he don't know, and never will how much his
learnin' cost.
Twas him that should have had the place: twas
fathers fore twas mine.
I'd like to KEEP it in the name; but amt goin' to
whine.
Mother she's had 1T pretty hard we needed Dan
that's true;
And would keep him right at home If began life
Farmin's the honest work of men; if ether folks
must thrive,
Some of us ought to stay at home and keep the
farms alive.
Dams kind of disappointed-he sees he amt the
first;
There want the markings of the best, and yet he
They call him good scholar; but there's much he'i
If he don't think he'd farm it, If he could start
again.