The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1900-03-15
The Dark and Bright Sides OF
Farm Life.
Prepared for and read before skowhegan
Grange by s. F. Emerson.l

orange ny D. r. tSAatHSoh'J
The great world in which we live, as
well as all things connected with 1t,
seems to be one of contrast. The Arctic
and Antarctic zones with their wide
fields of ice and snew; with their bleak
cold winds and frozen seas, is in great
contrast from the burning sun and
desert plains of the Torrid zone. The
one bare of foliage and almost without
life. the other with fruit and flowers and
forest growth reaching perfection.
The mountain lifts itself far skyward
and on its summit no vegetation lives,
and perpetual ice abounds, while at its
base and in surrounding valleys there
TEEN the rich products of field and
orchard and garden.
What a contrast between the great
ocean dashed into terrible madness by
the tempest, its pillows surging and
rolling mountain high, and the same
ocean waters undisturbed by the ele-
ments, lying calm and placid as the
infant slumbering In its mothers arms.
We have heard of the prosperous
village nestled on the hillside, greeting
the morning sun. all alive with industry,
contentment and happiness; but even
before the sun has reached the meridian
the awful cyclone sweeps down upon
the unsuspecting inhabitants spreading
the contrast of death and desolation
and ruin in its pathway. In great cities
will be found the costly mansion of the
rich Astounding Ia statuary and paintings
and all manner of luxuries that oEly
the extremely wealthy can possess, " lille
along side and under its very shadow
is the eontrasted abode of the affect
poor, of squalid poverty and suffering.
While | write these simple expressions
of truth, grim visaged war" is engaged
in its sad work of destruction, and with
drawn sword, with lannon's boom, with
ri le fire, mankind is seeking the lives
of fellow men, while at the same time
IN heavenly contrast, can be found
angels Of mercy lovingly engaged in
lifting the fallen, binding up wounds,
ministering TO the sick and striving to
save.
Over against the cold and the sleet
and the storm of winter is placed the
bright sunshine, the fragrant air, the
delightful surroundings of beautiful
summer. Over against evil and tyranny
and oppression and crime. is found
goodness and liberty and Justice and
right. Over against the sad wall OF
darkness and despair may be seen the
bright promise of peace on earth and
good will to men,"
Sometimes a smile of gladness and then a
stab OF pain,
Sometimes a flash of sunlight again the
drifting rain,
Sometimes black with thunder, anon a
brilliant blue,
Sometimes false as Satan, sometimes as
heaven true.
Sometimes in the hush of even. sometimes
in the midday strife, 'r,
Sometimes with dove-like cslmness. some.
times with passion rife,
We dream it, write it, live it, this mystic
story OF life"
But what has all this to do with life
on the farm? Listen, if the entire
universe is governed and controlled by
this irreversible law of contrast, W,
cannot expect farm life to be exempt
from the same law and its results.
Hence we find the shady side, or the
troublesome, perplexing, discouraging,
hopeless side Of life on the farm. W.
may introduce some of the extremes
but they are with us all the same
They follow us closely by dav, they
camp on our track by night. We seek
10 get round them, over them, beyond
them. We seek To throw them off, to
crush them under our feet, to avoi
coming in contact with them, but net
understanding all this they are in GU
pathway, and we have to meet them.
We present the unwelc0me fact that
enemies in varied forms confront tn
farmer in his struggle fIr livelihood
on the farm. Anxiety sits upon his
brow, toll, long and unchangil z, is in
his pathway; blight and mldew and
rust strike at his crops, beetle aud moth
aud bug and worm and insect seek t.
rob him of his just claims by approprl.
ating. part, and sometimes major
part to themselves.
His fruit trees blossom and full crop
is in prospect, but slowly and steadily
comes change. Heat or cold or blast
ing winds or some devouring element
puts in an appearance just at the crit
zeal time and blight does its work hi,
fruit crop is gone and with it his hopes
In the springtime his fields of grass
start we'll and his expectations reach
forward to a bountiful harvest, but al
the critical time the needed rain is
withheld; the extreme drought cuils
and drys and withers the struggling
plants, and his hay crop is a failure !;
his hopes once so buoyant, fail also.
He works early and late to put H.
Il Hal nf
crops. AT first there is ample evidence
that he will be paid fairly well for hi
labor and perseverance, everything
sown and planted is thriving and hi
hopes are high, But wait; it will not
do to be too confident; it is quite n
distance from seedtme to harvest and
during all that time chances have TO be
taken, and sometimes unequal chances
too. The heavens are darkened ana
destroying floods come; or day after
day the sun rises and sets in an vi
clouded sky, and the earth is burned
until crops can no longer grow or crow
and black bird swoop down and tea
up the young corn, and rust attacks
the growing grain and the potato field,
and the bean crop, and beetle and bug
and insect life flourish Oh squash and
and cucumber, and not-w it'll.
the fact that, all through the
long days of summer, the farmer has
fought faithfully and well, the odds
have been against him, and with hopes
crushed to earth he gathers il the
pttance left, grumbing at the day that
he was forced to take up farming as
life occupation.
Nor is this all of the dark side. The