Middletown transcript., 1895-08-24
FALLow FIELDS.

There is no more delightful midsumme
recreation than carriage drive over th
beautiful country roads that vein the land
scape hereabouts, especially when the at
mosphere is as refreshing and inYigoratint
as it has been this week. A "bicycle bull
for two" may have its charms, but for {
genuine, old fashioned pleasure ride take 6
buggy and good horse, and-well, what
eyer else you will. "A half day spent rol.
ling along the level roads out in the beauti-
full country, in the midsummer air, will
put to rout whole army of blue devils,
put new color upon life, and give care the
| cold shoulder.
There is great variety of scene an
many phases of life found in a half days
ride around the neighborhood, and if you
can take the time, steal away from the din
of domestic strife, the monotony of store,
shop or factory life, the yexatious cares of
office routine. and give your hungry heart
and soul a bit of expansion, and when you
return to your work again, you'll doubtless
find that the hitherto dull tasks have be-
come delight.
To make the best of ride have a horse
that is a cheerful traveller, not only one
that can CO. but likes to go. 1t rests one to
ride after that kind of horse and no mat
ter in what direction or how far you go,
take the longest road home.
The country was never more beautiful
than now, in the full maturity of mid
summer luxuriance. The corn fields are
majestic with waving plumes and rustling
blades, while the lusty ears give promise of
groaning granaries and bursting cribs
little later. Orchards are glowing with
golden and crimson fruitage; sleek herds
are browsing in green pastures, and if we
had never heard about that dreadful mort-s
gage, we'd feel sure the farmers were the
happiest and most prosperous people in all
the land. You'll find them at work all
along the way. Here they are threshing
fine weather for it too. The threshing yard
is busy scene, but the hustle and stir with
out are, in measure, matched within, and
the savory odors that are waited from the
farm house kitchen, are evidences of the
good dinner in store for the hands" Per-
haps you think it would be lovely to visit
on farm,-sit on the front porch and hear
the bird sing a love-song to his mate, and
dream the peaceful hours away, but to take
turn at the wheel and have part in the
lonely, toiling life, does not seem so pleas
ant, and yet there are harder tasks and
more pitiful burdens than fall to the lot of
the thrifty farmer and his family. Out in
the broad fields the toiling plowman is at
work, plowing up the fallow ground, and
as we watch him turning under the green
fallow, we think of the fallow ground in
human life and character, and here if we
give both the horse and our fancy the rein
It's not to be wondered at. What cultiva- |
ton is to the soil, education is to the mind, |
and it is the fallow ground, green, dewy |
and lush. that yields the rich fruitage but |
it must be plowed up, and made mellow. |
1t is not easy to do. and the plowman plods |
wearily along the mead.
There are waste places in most lives that |
too long have lain fallow, where the weeds |
of worry, discomfort, pretence and self
seeking are rank, while the sad old world
is starving for harvest of kindly deeds
and generous thoughts. But don't let
these reflections mar the pleasure of the
ride. We've each one life to live, each one
plot to till, and there are golden opportuni,
ties for work, love and duty that will
crowd our lives with blessings. But we
must plow the fallow fields, if we would
garner a rich harvest.