The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-26
COMING TO TOWN.


here. The country roads are good. 1t is time
they were. The farm boys who were rugged up
pretty well after the harvest in the fall, to go
to school, have thin spots on their trousers
Now in April when 'they cleave the wet earth
in the moist-blowing winds" patches are put on
the thin spots, but the patches will grow thin
through the planting time, the soft, sunny airs
of hoeing time will blow through Sits
in the patches, and when the tender shoots of
corn have changed to strong stalks the boys will
need strong cotton trousers for haying time, and
their cowhide boots have cracks that let in the
cold dew of the pasture of morning, when each
clover leaf spreads its palm to the
sky and catches a globe of water, and
the farmers daughters and their mother
need their summer things. 1t is high time the
roads were good. The farmers family must come
TO town
They have to brace to be ready in time for an
early start in the morning The girls make
things gee in the kitchen, running about with
light, strong steps, In the barn the boys have
all they can tie to, but they are soon heard
clomping up the back stairs to dress. The boys
keep their clean clothes in an old trunk with
''Noah Ford" on it in brass nails. 81 knew you
was an old family, but didn't know as you came
over with Noah" is the hired mans joke at that
They are a likely-loooking wagon load when they
are off, in their clean clothes, with clean white
handkerchiefs, smooth hair and BACKED shoes,
and hands almost skinned to get the grunge out.
much as ever were ready in time! I'm clear
beat out I'm FRUSTRATED says the farmers wife.
leaning back in the bright, easy wagon.
The boys want to go around by twenty mile
route, through four villages over a high bridge,
in sight of railroad and to meet the big bus
from town. And they want the horses to go
LEG over leg
AS the dog went to Dover"
But the farmer is careful of his stock; he never
has any breachy or lame balky horses from
bad driving or i'll use. He takes a short cut,
beauteous; lonely rustic way, under noble syca-
mores and through the rich Indiana woods; but
there are only a blacksmith shop and wagon
works on the road, and only one man in the wagon
works. panther was killed in these woods
once 1t was stuffed by the village taxidermist
and stuffed well-looked like an ichthyosaurus
when it was done The blacksmith shop stands
at a cross roads in a heavenly place. far from the
smoke and dust of towns. If what you want is
happiness, take that shop and be a blacksmith
there and rear a brood of kind, stalwart children.
o, twere well if we could stay on our own acre.
and there work, having our affections concent-
cred on few, not dissipated on many. We want,
not to see the world but to be contented in it;
we want to pray the prayer of Plato old, )" for
interior content Fresh scents from swamps and
woods fill the air as the farmers family bowl
along. Finally they see a big -four mill, with its
Cash for wheat" They pass iron works, where
a great grindsJone revolves, striking flashes of
light from steel blades in a dim interior; they
pass foundry trembling with rattlers and tum-
blers; they see a wooden mill alive with the
glimmer and kum of spindles. They see an
array of giant elevators like huge sentinels
about the town. they reach the city outskirts.
The farmer stops in a shady corner by the
roadside, his wife unfolds a lunch of sand
wiches, cold chicken and jelly cake from clean
napkins smelling of home, and after eating they
are all ready for the days bout of shopping.
The farmers vito and daughters ransack the
town in search of good bargains, rummaging
the dry goods stores looking through the glories
of Charley Mayors, going over the stove and tin
stores and the china stores, glancing in at the
jewelry store windows and at the Easter cards
in the book store windows and ending the day
with a collection of new things to make
them happy six months. The farmer and
his boys try on clothes at the clothing
stores, and hunt through and through
the shoe stores, the boys exhibiting willingness
to put up with almost any fit hoping to get
spare hour or two for visiting the museum. They
drive home tired and delighted with their days
sightseeing, and the farmers wife cooks a good
supper at night, the tea lively, the potatoes hot
from the pot, the ham reeking from the frying
pan. After supper the neighbors come in to look
at their bargains, and the sitting room smells of
new Calico new boots and Shoes and new sheet
ing and is sprinkled about with new ribbons,
laces and handkerchiefs Such treat is coming
to town in spring. MARY DEAN
THE Shah of Persia is evidently not troubled
with the faintest doubt he is "a bigger man
than old Grant, or any other dignitary of the
past or present time who may be named. In an
swering an autograph letter from Pope Leo,
in which the latter announced the election of an
archbishop who will proceed to take charge of the
Church of Rome, in Persia, the Shah is at once
deeply respectful and deliciously patronizing
After few preliminary remarks addressed to
his Holiness, 'the head Of Christianity, the Shah
states that he has been pleased to receive the