Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-11-13
KANSAS, NOV. 4, 1890.
r..The women did it.n-sHERMAs.l |

like a man;
There was plenty OF fashioned on the same pecu-
liar plan,
And I've lived out here in Kansas more than five
and twenty years,
A growing poor an poorer it certainly appears
1 seldom read the newspapers-I worked too hard
for that,
And never knew why got lean while other men
got fat.
I didn't fool with politcs-I had too much to do:
But always s.voted as shot," and as they told
The day before election. jes' imagine my distress
When ketc he'd my wife readin'-now whatever
would you guest
A free trade publication. And, to make it worse
she said
She'd read it regular every night before she went
to bed.
And. do you know that wife of mine jest faced me
up and down
That farmers slave to make few monopoIists in
town.
1 always try to get around these warm, domestic
spats,
But when 1 praised protection and she laughed
and answered "Rats."
bristled up; it kindled all the sentiments of strife
To think this free trade stuff should be corruptin'
of my wife
quit her then and there before her argument was
through,
As every good pretectionist makes it rule to do
That night we had camp fire and our congress-
there;
We gave him "John Browns Body when he went
to take the chair:
wore my old blue uniform to spite the democrats,
But all the time 1 wondered what my Mary
meant by "Rats."
Our congressman was eloquent, he made stirrin'
speech;
could almost see the battles smoke and hear the
bullets screech;
And when he babe vote as we had shot at Malvern
Hill,
We with one accord and cried with one acclaim
'We will
We sang the good old ar songs and we ate mess O.
And. we passed the evenh pleasantly, recalIin'
bloody scenes;
And took the straight-out tickets and We pinned
'em on our hats,
But all the time wondered what my Mary meant
by 'Rats."
When / reached home noticed that my Mary wore
a smile,
Which seemed to me as indicatin' storms ahead OF
bile;
To head her off said: s.You call me early mother
dear,
For to-morrer'n be the livelest day free trade will
have this year."
Next mornin' just at sun-up. as woke and rubbed
my eyes,
A-wonderin' what she meant by "Rats." saw t,
my surprise
My clothes and hat ard boots all ranged in order
the floor,
And bearin' each card I'd swear L never say
My flannel shirt displayed this sign. ''Taxed 95 pc
cent"
Ny trousers s'Taxed 1OO'-so this was what '.Rats
meant;
My vest said TAXED 1OO,'' and my shoes Taxed
25;"
My coat and hat '.2OO" with Protection makes us
| thrive"
went to fill the basin and noticed as came
| Taxed IS per cent'-Great Scott! the towel said
| the same
The soap was marked at ''2O;'' as 1 dropped it OF
| floor,
CHANGED to scuttle full of Goals, chalked ''24
passed into the kitchen and it gives me pain t.
That my wife had a wooden dress stamped "Only
| $50
| And in shooting out guinea hen she made a littl
Which showed pair of stockings with care
marked ''35."
The baby in his little bed was Iayin fsst asleep
1 always held the little lad most uncommon
cheap;
But when them cards on blanket, pillow, cri
| and sheet,
! l felt lump rise in my throat; knew that wa
beat.
No matter where went struck them pesky littl
signs
The stove, the plates, the knives the forks tn
window sash and blinds,
The scissors. needles, thread all bore that erribl
per cent;
Bigosh, didn't dare TO ask what per cent. o
the rent.
That was the soberest meal ever ate in all my Ii
And as 1 left the table in remarkin' to my wife
That going to the polls she helped me with Il,
coat,
And said: 81 reckon John, needn't tell you no
to VOTE"
walked down to my votin' place; it looked Lii
: every yard
Was full of farmin implements which bore lit
card.
And seemed to say, from plough to spade, fro
{ thresher down to axe:
"Good mornin' John, and don't forget the tariff
| tax
1 voted straight-O, yes no doubt of that; vote
straight,
But not exactly in the way expected of my state;
And showed the boys the little cards provided
my wife:
That night our congressman took formal leave
public life.
1 was one OF them STOOL farmers'' durin' five ar
u twenty years;
But I've learned little common sense, doubte
n now appears:
r You can run and tell Mckinley. and-say-do
forget to state
I That we've voted out in Kansas, and we've vot
Z darned near straight
Winter Blooming Plants and Bulb
/ Cut flowers, aud all kinds of Flor,
!. work done to order.
BARTON Co. GREEN HoUsE,
East side ofsquar