The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1891-12-24
HARD TIMES.
HOW A FARMER FOUND A CURE.

Ever since the creation of the
world man has been discontinued
with his lot. Almost daily we hear
of residents of adjoining counties
who think that they cannot get rich
by remaining here; that they must
pull up stakes and settle in some
weatern or Texan paradise-where
the land produces without much
cultivation and without the use of
fertilizers.
These periodical changes of base
happen more frequently. after the
failure of crop or follow the de-
preston in the money market. "A
rolling stone gathers no MOSS" and
if those of our readers who have the
Texas and other western fevers will
only settle their minds and prepare
for crop, samei.as the following
Alabama farmer did, they will be
better OF in few years:
Every one you may meet, with a
few exceptions, has something to say
about hard times, tight money, etc.,
and if you we're to catch on to the
complaint you would be about as
gloomy as the most Of the people
appear to be. / have short, faith
ful story to tell in your paper and
hope it may aid the wise men in our
state to arrive at the cause and the
remedy for hard times among the
farmers. -
In 1867 | found myself on fair
average farm, Just where / am now
writing to you, with one good mule,
a broken down army horse, fair
set of farming implements, mostly
secondhand, but without dollar
OF credit, and just S6.75 in cash. 1t
was the last week in January, and
the timaAad come for US to s'pitch
our crops" for the year. had a
small quantity of corn, stout enough,
with economy, to feed my stock and
give my family meal for four or five
months. Times were hard with me
sure enough. My near neighbor
was a little better off, but not as
much as thought him to be at the
time. We were talking over the
matter when he informed me that he
was going to Gadsden the next day
to make some arrangements for
credit to enable him to make his
crop, and asked me to go with him
and see what / could do. We went
to town. 1t wasn't long before my
neighbor had secured his credit with
a note and mortgage which he was
to trade out during the year.
j | tried to do the same, but it was
no go. The merchants did not know
me and | could not make the secure
| ty they demanded. Well we vent
back home together, my neighbor
| with smart load Of bacon. coffee,
| dry goods and shoes for the children,
with a dress for his wife and suns
day coat for himself. My wagon
was empty and I disconsolate, with
nothing to take to my Preside but a
heavy heart and will to work. I
told my wife all about my failure to
| get credit and we talked the matter
over until midnight: well said,
she, Tom, we have two good COWS.
some hens, and the best of health,
So we will stay at home and get our
living from our work. Bless her
soul, she was the wisest woman,
think, that ever lived on earth. and
among the best that went to heaven.
took her advice, and at the end of
the year I had seven good bales of cot
ton, 240 bushels OF corn, and saved
1900 pounds of bacon, banked snug
| ly 100 bushels of sweet potatoes !;
while my good wife had $3.50 made
from her eggs, chickens, butter and
honey, and had bought herself a
summer dress and bonnet and cloth
enough to make the undergarments
for all the children. And best of
all. did not owe a man on earth a
cent.
My neighbor, who had the credit
/ could not get, made eleven bales
of cotton, small corn crop, no
meat, and had his credit until be
4 III