The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-10-12

| written thirty years ago In the "war
| timss of 1862" The signature II. P. Is
| meant for "hsshodiat Preacher" and
the letter il one Of & ssriss written from
Alabama, whore tho author had refugssd
from Nashville. Dr. Csrlisle says let
this "Butler Lodge" letter be read at
many happy fresids in tho country /;
and No hope It will encourage young
farmers to psrssvers chssrfully, thank.
fully, In their noble calling.
Mr.. EDITOR: Farmers are said to be
complaining set, and l partly believe
it. Itappearl even in their salutations
Meet nsighbor Jones on the road or
spsak to hin scrou ths fence: "Good
morning, Mr.. Jones. How srs you and
all yoursi" "Prstty well, thank you;
no right to complain" Now, would
have you understand that when Jones
says this il Is going we'll with him and
his. Nobody, nor man nor beast, is all.
ing; no lack Of rain ; no stress Of
weather. Yet, at his very best estate,
the most you can act out of Jones is-he
valves his right to complain.
have been considering why this ls so
with farmers, having of late got to be
small one myself. No class Of man
ought to be more thankful, more cog
nizant Of God in all their ways, more
directly and constantly sensible of their
dependence upon His blessings, than
farmers. They deal with Him. They
are the high priests of nature, waiting,
With faith and hope and labor, upon the
seasons. the earth, the dews, the sun
shine, the showers, the quickening seed,
the growing ear, the ripe corn. Truly,
to them everything cometh from above,
from the Father of mercies. They deal
with first canses; others with second and
third and fourth causes. They drive their
trades by crediting the laws of nature,
that they will be true, and by trusting
God, that He will remember His cove.
nant With the earth; others drive their
trades, more or less, by trusting in men.
Thslo things, aside from, their separate
nsss from the temptation and strife Of
mixed masses, lead US to the conclusion
that, as class, farmers ought to be
godly. And, to use ors Of thsir averag.
ing expressions, "take them up one side
and down the otber," I think they are !;
they are manly, self-rellant, honest, viz
tuous. But to their complaining pro
psnsity-wbat grumblsrs they are! Al.
ways getting ruined, and yet somehow or
other steadily on the increase.
Unlike tho banker, the farmer has no
monthly exhibit of bis business to make
out, awear 70 before notary and publish
in the papers. His affairs are open and
confessed. Every one that rides along
tho road can look over the fence and SEQ
for himself what sort Of q crop he has.
II his stock and teams are sorry, or if
they are fat, they have his brand and
mark on them, and you can tell their
condition, meet them where you will.
It wouldn't do for the sexton to lament
that he had no business; this would be
indecent. It wouldn't do for the lawyer
or the doctor; this would be the sure
way to have none, for most people dis
trust their own judgment in selecting
lawyers and doctors and rely on the judg
meut of others. as expressed in a large
practice. I have heard of pert physi-
clan procuring himself to be called out of
church and other assemblies on urgent
cases. He would ride into the village in
dash and dash out again; and 30 he
rode into q practice. Many merchant
has rubbed through tight place with a
stiff upper lip. On the verge Of bank,
ruptcy, he .alked oasy and free and bore
himself like everything was moving on
awimmingly, and SO preserved on his
credit with the timid and meathered the
storm. But the farmer can't fool any
body, and he has no need to. What if
he were to Hattor and "put on" 1t
wouldn'. kill the grass or help hi, crop a
bit. BE deals With honest old Earth,
and abe can't be ticklsd, except with
hoe or ploughshars. He may brag a
little on some out.ofths.way field that
no one is apt to seq; but Dragging is not
the farmers style. I smiled inmardly a
few Sundays ago, at Baptist meeting,
OF ovsrhsaring q deacon behind me
whisper to the brother who sat
next to him: "You ought to see
my swamp corn" There mss an under
tone of exultation in the remark that
made tho brother to whom it Was ad-
dressed mourn, for he wore . face Of due
length, and had just been complaining OF
drouth and the prospect of starvation.
There is another aad better reason
than the one assigned already. As the
farmer carries along q variety of inter.
ests, hardly any dispeuaation of Provi'
deDce 10 favorable to them al, and hu.
man like, he grievss over The farthiug
lost more than he rejoicss over the shill-
ing gained. I nw foroibly raminded Of
this conflict Of desire and interest the
other day. A parcel Of fodder had been
pulled and was curing fat under a
ucorching sun; by 10 morrow morning ii
would be ready for stacking. Good sun.
Good sunshine. just the weather fol
curing fodder. Why don't l feel raore
thankfuli Because the potatoes seem to
say: Mighty dry-oan't make anything
at this rate" The patch of rice, wilted
and sick, cries out for rain. Az for the
peas, thsy arc at standltill. Presto,
ohangel While Was ruminaung rather
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