Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-05-07

SaACu AOI III the winter, LnaJ, IL 11Cer
using them in the autumn they had
been oiled and put away in dry house
during the cold season, then oiled and
cleaned in the spring before using
them, most of the breakage could be
avoided. But this view of the case,
which. to the philosopher, seems SO
plausible, is regarded by the farmer
with distrust, not to say with incredu-
lily. The freshness Of the mules when
first led forth from the stable and
placed in front of pillow which they
are expected to persuade through more
Or less rOOty and cloddy earth for the
next sixty days is not difficult to ex-
plain. They have been doing nothing
but eat their heads off during the win
ter, and have, therefore, acquired an
amount of adipose tissue quite unbe-
coming to the degenerate sons of an ig-
noble sire. Were this the sum total Of
their offending, no harm would be
done, for too much fat on mule is an
infirmity easily overcome by judicious
system Of heavy loads, long thrash
pole and much profanity. But mule,
when he gets fat, is sure, in rural par
lance, also to become ambitious" and
injudicious ambition is as bad for a
mule as for the hereditary ruler of
warlike people. Properly directed, the
ambition of the mule, like that of the
king, can be worked off in peaceful
channels, but sometimes the mule, like
the monarch, has not quite sense
enough to perceive that the ways OF
peace are preferable to the paths or
war, and so manifests his ambition by
kicking the harness to pieces. VI
course, this reprehensible act meets
with prompt retribution at the hands
of the enraged granger, and conflict
ensues, generally ending to the disad-
vantage of the mule.
But grubbing and cleaning and brush
burning and blowing are, after all, the
introduction to the planting with
which the labors of spring may be said
to close. There is no more romance
about planting than about any other
part of the farmers spring toll, for
nothing is more fatiguing than to walk
all day over newly ploWed ground,
sinking to the ankles at every step.
dropping exactly the same number Of
grains in every hill to the subsequently
covered by a deXterous stroke OF the
hoe. It is hard work. and the only
representatives of animate nature that
really enjoy seeing anybody do 1t are
the crows To them it is a JOY. ii not
forever at least during the spring sea
son. nor are they deferred from it in
any wise by the erection of scarecroWs,
for crows have a world of sense for
crows. and can tell the difference be-
tween a scarecrow and a man as far as
they can see The farmer may erect
his worst suit into manly guise. and
do his planting in the belief that the
crows are deceived. but the sly rogues
know better, laugh his scarecrow to
scorn and follow along in his tracks
and pick up his corn as he drops 1t,
without, by so much as single croak,
giving an indication or hint of their
nefarious presence. They know he has
no gun; they also know that he cannot
throw a clod as straight as his youngest
DOy, so Uuey uOp 1aOa1Ss IAoiI AiiAA " i1iA'
as though measuring the distance to
ascertain where they will have to dig
for what is left after he has covered it
M The farmers seed-time is the
crows harvest, and keenly do the lat
fer enjoy it, Thus it is that the farmer
sees no romance in the beautiful spring.
For him the words mean. not the WAX
ing of natural world to fresh life, but
renewal of coarse and often lire
Quilted toll. No mistress is so caprlous
as Dame Nature. Sometimes she
opens her hands and pours out her
blessings until the barns burst and the
granaries cannot contain. but at others
she fails to send the rains and the dews
and the genial heat at the times when
most demanded by the exigencies of
plant life. and then the labor of the
farmer is all in vain. Dependent as he
is on the vicissitudes of the season, no
wonder he sometimes becomes fatal
list and finds signs and wonders where
others see natural phenomena easily
susceptible of explanation.