The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-10-08
By John P. Sjolander.

i been depicted as nearly ideal. free
from many cares and the one occupation
In which intelligent effort is sure of Its
reward. 1t is on the farm where song and
honest toll go hand In hand; 1t is there
that the birds, and the foAers. and the
sunshine spill all their gladness; 1t Is
there that the glory of the dawn kindles
new hopes. and the splendor of the sunset
brings rest and peace and content.
1t is line picture true picture as far
II goes, "a portrayal of still life III ma
| ture. But TIE real life, the pu!sii.G
| throbbing life whose hope the lightninSs
| rend and the winds lay low. whose effort
| the sun scorches into dust and the Hoods
wash away. the life of infinite patience
| and perseverance,. can never be painted or
described. To know 1t as it is. to under
| stand it, to value it at what 1t Is WORTH
| IL must be lived.
Nothing is what it ought to be. for per-
| lection so far has kept out of human
| reach. The farmer is only human aver
| age. And when L say the farmer L mean
him who owns his little farm and makes
| q living out of 1t by his own labor. There
| was never such a farmer yet VINO was
able at any time Of his life to arrange MS
| land 80 as to tit every season. He cah'
| usually, prepare for a wet or Il dry sea-
/ son, or 4 he Is willing to assume the FISK,
| trust to luck and lay off his land tor an
| average season. Choosing either of the
d two extremes an average season may ID
| cline in his favor. but choosing the latter
| eth of the two extremes Is almost sure
| TO destroy him.
| So when the farmer sets out to prepare
his land in the spring he does Ii VITA
many ,nisgivings He has nothing u
| guide him. IL last was dry. this year
may be wet. or 1t may be dry again, Tor
| ali he knows.
| But the time has come and he must pre-
| pare his land in some way. Perhaps he
| may utter a silent prayer as he casts his
| eyes upward and scans the sky for sign
| to guide him. But he Knows that ne
| that oDserveth the wind shall not SOW
| and he that regardeth the clouds shall
not reap" and so. with that faith which
! Is I'm him, end with that hope which
| leads him on from year to year. he goes
| to work and does what he thinks is right
| with all the energy he can muster TO
assist him.
There is no class of people more hopeful
| than the farmer. Years and years of hard
toll. and a constant struggle for a bare
existence can not wholly discourage MIN.
/ No matter how scanty the harvest was
| the year before when the time comes
| to plant another crop his hope is as bright
and his faith as strong as when he hrst
started out TO build a home for himself
and the loved one who mad just come into
his life to share 1t with him. There were
only two of them then; now there may be
| a half-dozen more. and God only Knows
! how keenly they nave felt every failure,
| and how many and deep have been their
disappontments. And still how small have
| been their expectations. how humble their
hopes. The struggle has been for only
the commonest comforts, for just enough
to live off without stint. and for an equal
| chance for their children with other peo-
| t,l.a chi a iron for n.sln
Perhaps IT has been their own fault that
their expectations have come to naught,
| and that their dearest hopes have never
| reached fTuItion. Let that be as 1t may.
/ But their expectations ana their hopes
are sIiil with them. and when the time
comes 10 piow and plant it is done with
! deep and sincere faith that droughts can
not turn into dust am hoods can never
| wash away.
| And 50 4 have seen the farmer 20 into
! the neld in the spring. with eaSernesS i'll
/ ms eyes, nope in his heart and song
| Upon MS lips. lie would be at work De-
| lore the sun rose and ne would still De AT
| work wien tine sun went down There
vas no demand there Tor shorter hours,
! il anything, the wish would come that the
gay were longer 50 that the more WORK
could be accomplished.
! Then when the days did get longer, ana
/ the sun warmer. and the BIRDS began u
/ sing and mate ana nest. came planunS
! time. On. the hurry and hurry TO get the
! seed into the ground. and with anxiety the
1 farmer watches the sky at seedtlIne. bu1
! though he may watch the clouds. his WORK
lever stops his team does not stand idle
/ his hands do not loosen from the plow.
Then the fields are planted at last. ana
! the anxious waiting comes. The land may
/ pe Just wet enough TO swell the seed. Dul
/ not Wet enough for the sprouts 10 root anu
! grow. Or there may come just a little too
much rain and cause the seed 10 rot. Ut
4 the seed may come up and be destroyed
/ by drou Snts. or floods. OF insects, or
/ hundred other Things with Mh'Sn tIAN
! farmer has 10 contend.
Then the work OF planting and waiting
! must all DE gone over again. If the seU-
! ond planting would be sure toedccecG a.
! would be well, but time and time again
/ have known nelds to have TO be panied
! three and four times before a good stalu
! would result
Then the season is late. and nine times
/ out OF ten that means u shortage in the
| crop somewhere. under the most favorable
circumstances. But there are 50 many
| things that might happen to a crop until
| IL Is gathered and housed.
| But with all the uncertainties worK
! must never stop. The plants must be
! thinned and hoeG, and d constant hGht
! must he carried on against the Brass anu
| weeds.
/ have seen father and mother ana
! children go into this fight in the morning,
when the dew was dripping from every
/ thing and wet them through ana through
1 | have seen the scorchiEb sun come out
/ and dry the garments on theI. bodies.
/ have seen them work through the heat
! of the day when the wild cattle stood
! painting Ia the shade, and some OF them
| would still be working when the sun went
| down. | have seen a father and mother
! at work IN the field at night, in the moon
! light. after their little ones had gone 10
| sIeep. But so long they could work,
| so long as there was hope, SO pnS as
the crop was glowilg, l never heard "a
murmur OF dissatisfaction. a breath nf
! complaint against their lot.
IL It were not for the farmers Intense
| love of home. and the home life. his con-
slant struggle for existence would be I'M
| bearable. his failures would be crushing
| (es ~ 49, - ~-(1N ~ - ~