The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-03-20
Guv. on the Lenten Season.
Our COUNTRY SEAT,
March IL, 1895.


1t is not generally known that we possess a
country seat, bat az humble as We appear, 1t
is nevertheless a fact. 1t also has a mortgage
on it. and we are not even proud OF that,
mother. Our seat may not be strictly archI-
~tectural. but it is ancient, very ancient. As
old as anv other seat in America, and with
GU, sign of decaying. II is called ''light-ud-
stump and we occupy it only IN open
weather, and when toiling and struggling 10
make our bread By the sweat of-of-the
nipger's vicarious eyebrow. We don't know
if this conforms strictly to the scripture! IN
junction and decree, but really We don't love
10 sweat ourself. We'd rather have oErn
done, and thus resting agrees with Us better
than anything we ever tried: 80 we do the
resting while the hands 10 the sweating,
and think it's a very equi cole and suitable
division of-of-. Well, ! suits Us so we'll
that we have never once ! ought Of striking
for higher wages, and b. e thus set a good
example 10 the other ha.,is, which we con-
slider credi,able on our part. II 10 said some
where that thine is monry, but thA, old
aphorism is busted into atomic flinders, be-
cause had il been true we'd all have been
wealthy by the lst March inst, for, though
we didn't have much else, each man has had
nigh on 10 l 1000 good solid hours Of spare
time this year, and we amt realized a red
cent out of 1t 80 far, but lost-tempornlly
speaking.
The weather has thawed some, bu, it
still seems 10 be as undecided what re
going 10 Go this year as -as the average
farmer is. Your rip-pcrler rode through, or
over. or BIZ, or across ST. Charles to-day, and
went to Mavesville and back, and We haven't
vet smellen the %faintest little smelle. of guano
anywhere. but the odor of fresh turned
earth and the fragrance OF barnyard and
stable manure perfumed the ambient air.
Some folks are working with some degree of
will and hope md energy, and with faith
somewhat like the "grain of mustard seed, T"
small vet. Others appear to be striking
sorrer perfupctory ticks, seemingly without
hone and no mustard seed. They don'tknow
whether to sink The lay off stakes 81 foot or 5
foot. Cotton or corn, fertilizer or no ferti.
lizer. lien or no lien, and whether 10 De
honest this year or not. we Sorter oplne tnat
9 good many have been ecoDomiziog in the
matter of honesty for some time. This Will
be a wear Of economy, ex necessltate, nolens
voleus, ct cetera, amperzant, worio without
end. We. ourself, have long ago resolved
and sworn and determined not TO live one
cent beYond our expenses, md we have stuck
10 it with an amazing degree OF resoluteness
and obduracy, and are now beginning to re-
alize that we are-are DOT one drafted whit
better off. The lenten season IS much more
generally observed by all sects this year,
leastways in the matter of diet. There ls 90
lavish prodigality of living now, scarcely the
comfortable abundance that we were wont 10
indulge in about the opening OF tie lenten
and the-the lien season. We are farlng
now like the prodigal just before he accepted
the invitation to dine on fatted calf (and we
only wish we knew where there was a fat
calf cooked for US right now. Our dark
completed brother is a mystery. How the
more improvident of them have managed to
keep their bodies from the tomb is an enigma.
They apparently have nothing, and are GER
,ainly earning nothing, and amt caring a
darn. But this kind can live on plums and
roas'n ears in the summer, and 90 freedom
the balance of the time, and be happy Just
because they amt dead, and be joyful and
sassy lust because-well just because they're
alive.
AS a matter of news we announce an
eclipse of The moon last night between the
hours of 8 and Il m. The SUI has also been
rclipsed to-day. totally, and had not eeen
seen up TO the hour of going to-set. "eean
oulv hope it may hatch out bright tomorrow.
The weather is soft, the earth is soft, and we
h'lieve GA: brain is soft, too, but the times
remain hard and so DO the iardened sinners.
GUr