Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-10-27
INDIVIDUALLY IN THE EAST.

Peculiar characteristics OF the New En-
gland Village.
Every genuine New England village
is like an apple orchard. The trees are
all app1e-trees, and yet there is not one
of them that does not insist upon its
own individuality, and assert success
fully its right to special character OF
its own. If its neighbor leans to the
north, then it will go to the east or the
south. At any rate, it will be some
thing in and for itself. So, as the
crowding file comes toward us through
the narrow passage, we catch for every
face its own peculiar traits. That man
looks not unlike the city type. He is a
rich man. and is always ready to lend
money to the poor farmer. taking his
farm, his cattle and his furniture for
security. The next one, with the bright
blue eyes SO full of kindness, the
face bronzed and full of lines, everyone
betraying fun and good humor, is the
old stage-driver. There is not a man,
woman or child within radius of ten
miles whom he does not know, and
scarcely stone on the ten-mile mail
route that he does not recognize as an
old friend as he drives past twice a day
In all weathers. He it is who can man
age the most obstinate horse, and make
it do his will by dint of native shrewd-
ness and tact. Following him comes
tall, slender, somewhat STOPPING farmer
with the kindly farmers face He lives
in the delightful old brick house by the
side OF the stage road, known and re-
spected of all, and the men VINO
h A. L
mer think themselves fortunate, for
he is lust and kind" Here comes
mechanics wheelwright, carpenter,
farmer. The sharp watchful mechan-
les eye looks clear ahead, and has no
need to lower itself before any man.
There are lines of sorrow and lines of
care, but when he smiles they all ap-
pear in glow of sunshine like those
that swept over the landscape in which
he has always lived, smoothing out the
ridges in their CLEAN. He is the grave
digger too, and knows all the resting
places under the grass of the pretty
little cemetery, which he cares for as if
it were his own garden. The young
man behind him in shirt sleeves
''bo1led shirt" sleeves-caught up with
elastic. is the democratic candidate. He
has run over from the grocery store to
cast his vote, presume bly, for the repub-
ican candidate, as they are very good
friends, and as soon as he has got
rid of it. runs back again to his bust
ness. The next one, tall and dark. the
''honest man" who was once sent as
representative, has driven four or five
miles with 1.-THE incest colt you ever
saw" and has just come down from the
platform, where he has been helping to
count the vote Following him, a very
old man leaning on stick. We seldom
see him except at night, when he comes
after the cows. There is something
touching in the fact that it is always
the very old men or the very little boys
that go after the cows at night. 1t
makes one think of what some phrenol-
ogist has said, that when a baby is
born, God sends it into the world with
a bare head, so that everyone
can see just what material,
what powers, it has to work with.
Then He covers it UP with hair,
and says: ''See what you can do with
that!'' And the child goes on working
till, after his life is almost done. God
uncovers the head again, that all may
see what has been accomplished by the
man. So the old man who goes after
the cows must often remember now he
used to run behind them long years
ago, before he had almost '"got
through ~ as the people here touchingly
say when man dies. And so they
pass, farmer after farmer, though al.
most every man of them is something
more than a mere farmer. There is
nothing which strikes city-bred per-
soa with more establishment in the
New England villages than the number
Of things every man can donna C.
Braclzett, in Harper's Magazine.