The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-12
FULL CT THANKFULNEss.
The Ranchor Tells Why His Heart Is
snlinsed with Gratitude.

SufuSed with Gratitude.
Thankful. Oh, YES. I've got a
heap to be thankful for. I'm just
billing over with gratitude - said San
joaquin rancher who had just stepped
out Of a lawyers Office on Montgom-
cry street Look here, young man,
did you ever try to run a ranch with
one pair of mules and a mortgagel
No, Supposed not When ! took up
my quarter section had 10 mortgage
it to start The first year was a bad
one and the wheat crop failed Then
| had to 90 into debt for seed and
grub, and the interest piled up on the
mortgage. I've been wrestling with
that mortgage ever since, but it downs
me every time
Last spring when the wheat come
up it looked first rate, and my wife
and | watched it growing as you'd
watch a youngster. if you had one
We worked hard, got along without
help most of the time, and went 10 bed
plumb tuckered out every night We
hoped 10 get little ahead of the mort
gage this year, but it would have to
be a big crop and big price to pull US
out of the hole
"Wel. the crop was just fair Bags
cost a good deal more than anybody
had a right To- charge, taxes We're
high, and have got only a middling
price for my wheat While we We're
waiting for harvest time we used to
figure up once i'm a while 20 see how
we'd come ont. My wife would bo
tired most to death with her work for
you must remember that a woman's
work on ranch where she does all
the cooking, washing and mendipg
and takes care of two or three chill
dlen, isn't any picnic, and my back
would be aching like | was breaking
in two, bat we'd just sit down and
figure IL was close calculating, but
wo allowed that a good price for the
crop would just about make both ends
meet for the year
when O letter came up from the
commission man telling in ten words
that all our years toll was going TO
bring MS only debt and tough wrest.
ling for grub over again, we just
Looked ri our roughened, stiff jointed
hands and wondered whether it was
worth while raising stuff for other
folks to eat, and going hungry our
selves.
1T Just meant that our backs had
ached that somebody else might take
things easy 1t meant that the kids
would have TO get along with the same
old duds for another year. Do you
know. it seemed to me for a moment
that if took a shotgun and went out
on the stage road | wouldn't be doing
any more than the chaps who live on
MORTGAGES do, and, mebbe, it would
be lust a little squarcr and more man
fashion way OF getting what doesn't
belong 10 one. Still, rs l wasn't
brought up to that business | didn't
think OF it long.
"You work like O Chinaman al the
year. work ill you ache all over, raise
wheat enough to feed a small village
for year. and then find that YOU We
worked yourself deeper into debt, and
see If you don't have some queer no.
tons bobbing about in your head
Then You 90 up to a fellow that sits in
an Office. wears good clothes, and
never does a lick of work that's of any
use to anybody, hand over to him the
money that your wife and children
need, almost get on your knees to beg
him for the favor Of bein9robbed by
his mortgage for another year, and
tell me if YOU feel your heart just
bursting out Of your shirt with pro
miscuous, all round gratitude. San
Francisco Examiner.