The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1900-01-26

active brain and busy hand; COM
panion of nature, student of her
simple yet wonderful laws, it is not
astonishing that the farmers lads and
lasses can uplift brows upon which the
stamp of immortality has not been
fixed.
We speak of the farmers social rays
of sunshine, comparatively, as hamper
ed. Truly man is q social being. God
did not create him to be isolated, but
rather created man to enjoy the COM
panionship of his fellow creatures.
When we think of society and its
advantages as they ought to exist in
city and village we are forced to admit
that the farmers rays are rather feeble;
| but when we speak of society as it does
exist frequently, we are also forced to
proclaim that the social sunbeam
shines with a purer, steadier, loftier
light upon the farmer.
Today, what causes more crime than
the breadwinner's attempt to initiate
the social functions of the capitalist or
the breadwinners ambition to ''move"
in social set little higher than his
purse strings will allow? Just here
the farmer has the advantage over his
brother breadwinner Of the town.
Today we find the farmers of COM
munity pretty nearly on a level finan-
cially. None very rich, neither do we
find them very, very poor.
Here the farmer can associate with
his equals without even wish let
alone an attempt to move in the social
set of a Sloan or an AstOr.
And does the farmer associate with
his brother farmers? Visit the Farm
ers' Club and Oranges for an answer,
and after sharing the bountiful meal
provided, listen to him pick over the
bones of the latest scandal, or CON-
ment upon the costume worn by Mrs.
Blank at the reception, or tell how
tired he is, etc? No, no, rather, listen
to an intelligent discourse of topics
ranging from political or social econ
omy to the raising of potatoes in dry
season.
After all what better society can any
one ask for than his own family?
What better place than his own fire.
side? Surrounded by his near and
dear ones, having for companions the
great and good of all ages in forms of
books, the thoughts of the noblest
men and women at his command in
magazines and weeklies, what better
opportunities are necessary in order to
elllNl iii Ill JllG Clllllho VI lllC
In New York City, there are houses
whose interiors cost two and one-half
million dollars; single rooms that cost
two hundred thousand dollars; while
within very short distance can be
found homes whose furniture and fix
lures would be dear at five dollars.
There too can be found the oyer
worked mothers and half clad children
sweltering against cellar gratings and
upon tenement roofs in summer, or
shivering from the piercing blasts of
winter.
Today where can We find such con-
trasts in an agricultural region? TO
be sure we're not apt to find the multi.
millionaire, but just as likely to find
him as the tenement Waif.
W. III. Vanderbilt has said that with
all his vast riches all he earned was his
board and clothes. Think of this say
ing you farmers who may be disSatis-
fed with your lot-you who think the
returns from your acres are too slow.
| You will begin to think that / mean
to picture the farmers life as one long
Isunshiny day, without a shadow to
darken his pathway.
Such are not my Intentions. / would
not if l could, for if a mans life were
all sunshine without the shadows his
life would be as far from being beauti-
full and perfect as picture would be
that displayed all lights and no shad-
ows. All friends, it needs shadows
such as appointments, loss Of proper
ty, sickness-the vacant chair to
chasten and refine and they are
wrought to bring out the best qualities
of the heart.
The farmer has not escaped these
shadows. Let us glimpse backward to
pioneer days. See the difficulties the
young farmer and his bride encounter
ed, the obstacles they overcame before
they transformed the virgin forest into
the productive fields, and the rude
shanty, chinked with moss, into the
substantial frame of brick dwellings of
today.
Into what deep gloom is the farmer
cast when, after all his crops are garn-
cred his flocks and herds housed that
well directed spark lay all these in
ashes; or when an untimely flood,
drought, or frost destroys the crop that
is to make the last payment on the
mortgage. That mortgage which has
been cloud so dense as to shut out
almost entirely the rays of sunshine.
Not least among the farmers shad-
ows are the ones cast by over-thrifty
politicians. Strange to say these
shadows are longest at tax time.
Sickness and sorrow are shadows
from which no man may hope to es-
cape, but as consider it poor policy to
dwell long on the dark side of life l
will conclude by saying that no matter
what clouds may darken the morning,
or what shadows fall at MONDAY let
the evening of the farmers life be a
glorious sunset. A sunset whose
brightness Eliminates the whole west
ern sky.
Let his life be such that at its close
he may hear the Master say, "Well
done thou good and faithful servant
enter thou into the joy of thy Lord"
TO CURE COLD INC ONE DAY
Take Laxative Bromo Quinine Tablets.
| A III druppieta raf1nd tho money If If