Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-03-18
Some Reflections of an Old Man.

Although yesterday was one of those
most delightful clear days OF the season,
which tempt the few birds that remain
with US through the winter to come
out of their hiding places and sing us
few songs; and the boys and girls to
add the music of their sleigh-bells to
that of the feathered tribe, this morn
ing, of the I'd day of February, renews
the promise of the Sth of January to
protect the farmers toll by keeping his
young wheat warm beneath the dow
| ny wings of the beautiful snow" And
| while / am so costly seated here in my
home, "sweet home," enjoying the
| benefit of good supply of stovewood,
| provided last fall, / am led to think OF
| the many who are shivering over a
| few Goals or embers in miserable huts
With some Of these sincerely sympa-
| thize, for all of them I feel sorry, but
the majority of them have only them
selves to blame. The FEATURES of in
| ferior rank provide in summer for their
needs during the winter. but how few
omparatiyely of the LORDS of crea-
ton" make as good use of their reason
as birds and wild beasts do of their in
stinct? Why will intelligent man
waste his precious time in idleness or
sport? Why, 1 ask, Uhy aoitt he gulp
down his voracious throat in summer
what he and his family need for win
ter? I am writing these ''fire-side
talks" for the people of Southeast Mis-
sousi. | have known you and your
country for long time: l knew your
faThers and mothers, now nearly all
dead. Many of them with genuine
"back woods" hospitality, divided with
me their pork and kraut and corn
bread as came to their log cabins a
"wayfaring man." hungry and tired.
0, love to remember many of them;
like old Mother Club, when seated at
her table would pass the smoking dish
over to me, and say with an unspeken
"God bless you" "Brudder B., do take
some o. de grouc." say, 1 have to
remember that old mother, and many
others like her. They came from
North Carolina, from Tennessee, and
my loved Kentucky, to better their
circumstances In new country. The
country was then fresh, and more in
vIting to immigration tlian it is now
Naturally rough country in the
| main, the present occupants have
actually made it look more 50 by their
methods of cultivating it. Nothing
was more natural than that those ear
! ly settlers should select the warm and
| fertile valleys of creeks and rivers for
| their settlements. Their wants were
| few, and their style of living very SIM
pie. Their little new farms produced
abundantly; the adjacent hills furnish
ed fine range for their stock; and wild
game was plenty to tempt both fathers
and sons to spend much time (too
much, indeed) in the woods with rifles
and dogs. Settlements were scatter
ing, and consequently both church and
school privileges were few. Nothing
strange therefore that habit of easy
going self.iniulgence should be culti-
waited to the injury of every interest.
And again, the mines of this region
have had tendency to draw off from
the cultivation of the soil much of the
labor that should have been bestowed
upon the farm.
| These mines at an earlier period
were of some benefit to the surround
ing country by furnishing market for
the farmers surplus. But that time
has passed away with the intro
duction of railroads, for the owners
of the mines now bring both their
supplies and labor from markets which
we cannot compete with while We ad'
here to the methods of the past. We
must turn over neU leaf" And
first of all, quit complaining;quit sleep
ing away precious hours. Get up
Wash your faces, and rid uncombed
heads of all "bushwhackers." Sow
your old lands in clover and grass
gather up the manure that has &C.
cumulated about your very doors, and
use it where it will do you more good
If your strip of bottom land be toe
gravelIy for redemption, go out to some
of the many ridges and flats of upiands
where better stock farms can be made
Thousands of acres of such lands lii
NJ elected to this day in your vicinity