The Republican journal., 1885-03-26
A New ENGLAND PHILOSOPHER.

He dwelt on rocky farm down east,
And farmers life was hard one, then
A nature friendly to bird and beast,
And just and true to his fellow-men.
One queer old saying upon his lips
Hovered forever, it seemed to me,
1t covered SO many faults and slips
1--WE all of us have our outs" said he.
Twas odd how many neighbor's sin
He smoothed away with this quaint old saw
If he ever blamed them. he kept it in,
And never quarrelled, or went to law.
Even an ill-kept line-fence failed
To sour his gentle philosophy
He righted the posts, and tugged and nailed
1.-The best of US have our Outs,' said he.
"We mustn't censure, and blame and carp,
S though we were china, and others def =
With neighbors' faults to be hard and sharp,
While half the time am wrong myself,
Is hardly the way to do them good;-
Life isn't so pleasant and bright as we
Might make it seem if we only would
But ali of US have our OUTS said be.
These plain words meant, from his kindly
tongue,
Humility, grace, benevoence,-
And held d lesson for old and Young,
OF needed caution and strong good sense.
Don't change the Old for the untred new
\ faithful friend is prize, you see;
Be civil to all, but fond with few,
For all OF u have our outs said he.
Don't yield. my boy, to Strangers eyes
Don't trust, my girl, to strangers vow,--
But when you marry, be slow and wise
As though you were going to buy COW,
Or pasture lot, or load of straw;
Don't deed your farm. friend, at siXty-three
And risk your age with your son>-n-law,-
For all OF Us have our outs" said he.
Its so with cattle. and sheep and swine
That Jersey there has crooked horn.-
And this, with no>tril so thin and fine,
) the breachiest beast that ever was born =
That white-faced heifer goes dry too soon
This kicks the milk-pai outrageouslV-
And hat sleek yearling would jump the moon
Gt-, all of em have their OUTS said be.
''Sce these great oNen-come up here, Turk
Handsome and smooth as a pullet's egg
Stronger than Samson, and good to work
But-s0methng's wrong with bis off fore-leg
HIS mate, there. knows as much as man,
And hasn't "a weakness thai can see.
But he turns his yoke whenever he can--
Oh, all OF 'em have their outs" said he.
THAT colt: He's perfect in wi1d and limb
He leads the township for righ-down SENSE
Not many trotters will distance him.
But be beats all natur' at leapng fence.
And with all Of 'enl-never one
But has some blemi>h fault. you see;
There's no perfection beneath the >un-
Yes, everything has its OUTS said he.
So. if a tempest of wind and hail
Scared BIZ apples and slit his corn.
He did not grunlble, and fret, and wall
10 see his fields of their glory shOrn;
And when, in August, a week Of rain
Made all his meadows an inland sea,
And lodged and sprouted his standing grain
There are outs in farming. too,' said he.
But he loved his calling, and watched with pride
The daWnlng green of the growing wheat
1t had IA value to him beside
Its worth a> something to sell and eat.
The beauty of nature cheered bis toll
II made him happy To breathe aud be;
There are fewer outs in tling the soil
Than anything else know" said he.
'Bnt had this planet no pain or strife
no among Us would strive for heaven?
Perhaps the flaw in the gem of life
l. only blessing, in kindness given
For we might shrink from the thought of death.
And weep and >hudder at what must be,
If only happiness came with breath,
And this world hadn't its outs" said he.
The lovely hues of the April morn
The tender pink of the orchard bloom
The futttring ribbons of growing corn
The clover-Iieds with their rich perfume
The rosy apples, the golden grain,
He felt it infinite JOY to see;
"Ihe sight OF them pays again and again
For all the outs in the worId,'' said he.
The name of farmer he loved to own.
Proud to wear ii through all his life:
True to The choice his youth had known,
He loved and honored his faithful wife.
"She crowns my lot wi h it, greatest Joys
She's all too gentle and good for me
And there's rarely circle Of girls and boys
That's freer from outs than mine,'' said he.
Thus in peace to its peaceful end
The gracious stream of his being ran
A loyal husband faithful friend
A tender father-an honest man.
All, when we rise from the clouds and doubts
OF this existence. il seems to me
Not many will answer to fewer outs"
Dear Old beautiful soul-1hau he.
Portlanu Advertiser.