The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-06-16
Poetry
BRAIN AND

The following poem was read at the
Richford Institute by Mrs. O. f. Sex
ton, of Hartford:
While a child, in the old villege church I was
taught
How the wonderful gift of salvation was brought;
That all who do right were rewarded at last,
At SCHOOL, 6oCI t on1 I learned riH that IafT worth STfhi Was the test
The prizes were passed to the one that wrought
best.
Those bright happy schooldays flew onward
alas!
And l found it was brain that decided our grace,
And supposed that accordingly all would be
But 1 found that it was brooches that welded
Half wages to woman, full wages to man;
So l taught the same schools and performed the
For Just half the price that the breeches would
ask.
Did write for the press? 1t was ever the same
Full price paid to breeches, half price paid 10
And I asked a kind publisher once in my need
For my rosy Tipped children my efforts must
Why a half price to woman was paid for each
And a full price to men, but he flew in a rage
Why breaches need tobacco and whisky"
While brain needs but water or only weak
Disguised, disheartened, on a farm far away
l inquired of a farmer what wages he'd pay,
Il board men every month and pay thirty
I pay Women accordin'. I want workers, not
scholars"
So 1 toiled in his kitchen from morning till
Was up every ray long before it was light,
Churning, washing or b~aking-that great house
From garnet to basement while hired men slept.
Sometimes it was midnight ERE the mending
But the men went to bed Just at dark or before.
On rainy days, too, hired men went to town..
Or out in the barns on the hay lOafed around,
While | did the hopping, cleaned louise, irOned
The farmer and hired men sat down to a doze.
There / worked till the harvest and haying
were DER.
The thrashing all done 1 was wanted no more.
And now" said the farmer, IN pay up your
You lost one whole day when your children
were i'll.
You went home to see 'em, I'll not connt that
though
For you saved all my lambs that got chilled in
Full three hundred dollars you saved me, by
Them sorrel colts, tOO,, that the hired man run
That time he was off four days on a bum.
Twas offered eight hundred for them colts last
spring,
But he stove 'em up so not a dollar they'd bring.
But your fuSSin' and bathin' and rubin EN- so
Has brought them round right and L very well
know
the track;
I'll reward you fer this, you deserve something
So your trunk to the depot for nothin' I'll carry.
It's most train time now, we had better not
tarry."
But my pay, Farmer Jones' of hat 1 must
Yes" said he, you have earned bout a dollar
-Four dollars a month! Why you promised to
According to mems wages when you hired ne
Thirty dollars a month I pay all my men,
Dollar a weeks bout accOrdin' to what 1 pay
But of course their lost time 1 don't dare to dock
For fear they would break things or damage my
flock"
The political field I have cared not to enter,
knew that was rotten from circle to center.
But l wonder sometimes If the women OF brain,
Whose lives and whose motives are free from a
Wouldn't vote just as wise as the brooches that
From the sIums of the orient, all reeking with
From the cellars and attics and criminal docks
They cast in their ballots in drOves and in fOcks,
They respect not our Sabbath, our Bible, our
But our vile politicians all use them as tools.
Tools for what? To Jorge letters for Liberty's
Our national bondage they soon will complete.
Then I thought of the church of the people of
God.
Whose long row of martyrs sleep under the sod.
Sure that was the spot of all others the best,
l there should find comfort, protection and rest.
/ united with them while my full heart ran DER
With love for my Maker as never before.
And I rose up in church just to tell of my joy,
When out spoke the Deacon, my bliss to destroy.
Said he, My dear sister, pray have you not
heard
That women in church should speak nota word?
For don't you remember the words of dear Paul,
WhO said that the women must keep silence, all?
And l answered him holly, Paul made US
endure
More than Arabs and heather have done, I am
sure.
To degrade every woman he wrought out this
plan,
For Paul was a bachelor-iust half a man.
end from this harsh statement cannot refrain,
Paul showed by such teachings more breeches
than BRAIN
Next 1 came to the Grange and 1 found to my
joy
Its precepts and principles without alloy.
There woman stands forth the true equal of
man,
AS it was intended in Gods alI-wise plan.
Long flourish the Grange, the one spot on earth
Where brain and not breeches decides our true
worth.
Rural NeU Yorker.