Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1901-11-14
OLD-FAsHIOEED MIssoURIAN.
ny WALTER WILLIAMS.

The old-fashioned Missourian beliey-
ed in religion Of the robust kind. The
first public building he erected was a
church, the second was a school, and
when lawyers came along be needed a
Jail. The old-fashioned Missourian
liycd at home. He had a fireplace in
bis house. How can children be pro-
perly brought up without fireplace?
Even a crate, the stepchild Of the fire.
place, is better than the gIlded
abOminatlon in the corner or aregister
in the floor. The Lord built man a
home and called it the Gardeno Of Eden;
1t was the devil who invented board
ing houses. No sweeter, happier homes
ever lifted their chimneys, like beckon-
ing fingers unto God, than where the
old time Missourian sat him down.
Mother had large place in this old
time home; large families, grown out
Of fashion, were gathered there. The
mother knew only one book the
Bible, but knew mems hearts, which
is better than knowing many books.
Every day was holy day and life a
getting ready for death. Nobody ran
In those days. The firm OF Hurry,
Worry & Company had not been born.
The old-fashioned Missouri mother
should be dear to all collectively as
one Of her feminle descendants is dear
TO each OF US individually. She sits In
the gray dawn Of the States history,
and with deft and tlreless fingers,
weayes the skeins which make up the
warp and wool OF the Missouri Of to-
day. The home is her heritage TO
humanity, monument to her love
and life. Nowadays, when we get our
dinners In cans and our culture In
clubs and our clothes from a man
milllner, the old-fashioned Missouri
housewife would be sadly out Of place
II Missouri is to be kept great, how
ever, and be made greater, we must
have more OF the old spirit-the spirit
of the old Missouri home from which
went out a conquering race of men and
women, brave, generous, gentle,
dominant.
The Missourian is migratory. Fond
as he is of his own roof-tree, he is fon-
der of fresh air, blue sky, elbow-room
and freedom. His only great cities he
has pushed out on the borders Of his
State. There is a long string Of him
from Plymouth Rock to the Golden
Gate. Where rolls the Oregon, the
Missourian is there. He cared more
for cleanliness of life than personal
beauty. He preferred freedom tofash-
ion. He asked no man what he should
say. He cleared the forrest and build
ed the State. Where those who come
after him have failed is where they
have left his ways for paths of indiffer-
ence and luxury. The chief end OF life
is not business, the chief end of bust
ness is life. We need again In this
State a revival Of the sterner virtues
Of the early Missouri pioneer. He was
a combination of the Puritan and the
Cavalier. He had conscientiousness and
courtesy, unbending opinions and gent
ways. His hand could grasp. his sword
and WELD 1t Justify for truth and
Righteousness; the same hand could
hold rose leaf uncrushed within III
palm. He could lead host to battle
and stoop to claspa baby to his breast
He could rebuke in sternest tones
coward and hypocrlte, and breathe
in tenderest accents the old, old storl
to the one be loved. He labored, un
complaining, for those who depended
upon his good right arm and smile
down TO the very day death came
Such was the Mlssourian OF the goo'
old times. Shall Missourian of tn
0 good new times be Of less WORTH
= | C.i,.r,tEo No HERALD