The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-09-25

81 at me when told
her ! am no longer a boy,
and she hasn't yet realized that
| am growing old. | go TO the butcn-
er's and the bakers and the postoi-
fee and dig the potatoes ana huht
up chickens and eggs and ofih@ her
fresh roses every morning ana loom
after the little grand children "hlie
she takes her evening nap. L nave I.
lot Of letters TO answer every day. n
before | can finish one somebody
wants something done. and Wheh
picbt comes | am as tired as an old
draw horse. We used to be rlch. ~
now We are as poor as Lazarus. But
sill We put on airs and keep open
house lust like we did before the war
and our daily visitors have 10 be en-
+ertained and ! must help do It. y
s4ranoer came TIE other day while l
was working the rOsebeds n ha"
charge Of two Hide grand children
and nv wife was mapping. lie took d
seaf on q bench and said he came TO
see me about lying-the sin CT lvln".
This alarmed me for q moment. men
he said that ! We the writer Tor the
press and had influence. and ne want,
ed me to help him reform the World
about lying. Aud he told me how the
politicians lied and + newspapers
lied and the merchants he'd and maze
their clerks to lie and deceive their
customers and how the lawyers he'd
in the court house to deceive the jury,
and some Of the preachers had got TO
lvin~ AID making up sensational
stories in the pulpit. lie was wei
posted and quoted scripture ana talked
in a stream until | got tired OF MS
distractions. Then he asked me If q
lie or a deception vas iustifiable III
der any circumstances. replled that
there were some white lies or decep-
tons that I thought We're admissible
under certain circumstances. lie look-
ed surprised and asked me to. give INN
an instance or example. We'll. sand l..
"a wOman called on my wife yesterday
while she was in the kitchen putting
ND peach pickles. This old woman
was a long setting hen and my wife
got very tired of her, and at last when
she rose to leave. my wife said: Can
such a hurry? Well. do call again
soon-I'm sorry YOU can't sit longer"
The stranger spoke ahruptly and said:
.Your wife deceived her and did
wrong-she ought to have told her
that she was busy and must be eN-
cused. Don't you think 500" We'll,
now said [. "lct ne put another case.
You came here and found me hard at
work with my coat off and | had two
little children to watch, for my wife
told me not to let them get out Of my
sight, and now they have gone | must
hunt them up, and I've listened to
your distractions for half an hour
and all to no practical purpose. sup
pose | should say to YOU. Fried, YOU
Will have to excuse me-: ] must look
after the children and work my gar
den. and I reckon Won had better go
What would Won think Of me ard my
rudeness?" He looked surprised and
o~rieyed and said: DO YOU NEAR it?"
"No,' said T, and if ] did, i would be
ve5.y inrolite for me to tell YOU 80. I
had rather tell a little white lie
hadn't vou?' He was silent for n min
ute. and then said: Well. [ reckon
7 had better go and he babe ne m
affectionate good by.
But let Us not forget the orphans nor
the day. There IS no lie about that.
Sometimes J feel like an orphan my
self and wish my father and mother
were here to comfort me. / reckon
that is q sign Of second childhood.
Now have a labor day Of love be-
fore me. | Shall compile that book Of
poems and / want help. Kind friends
have sent me 222 COPIES Of tho poem
asked for and il viii please Ine and
help me to have the lovers OF good,
pure poetic literature send TO me the
titles OF. say. five or more of their fav-
orites. and also the names of the au-
thors. Address Ma ior Charles II.
Smith, Cartcrville, Ga.
BILL ARP.