St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-08-02
Eighth Ward
July 70 1902.

July % 1902.
Editor st. Tammany FARMER:
In the middle of June the dwell
lers over a broad scope Of Southern
country came to the certain knowl'
edge that their land was under the
influence of a whitening drouth,
blighting and persistent.
Those tender assurances of spring.
glad fealty to earth and man, the
early and later rains, aroused the
grains and seeds entrusted to
earth's keeping by the hopeful til
Ter OF the soil, and the growth of
all gave every promise which un-
happily the day of their maturity
did not realize.
Week by week, day by day, from
the middle of May until the latter
days of July the uncloudy sun had
full course, while reluctantly per-
baps, but steadily and surely the
moisture OF the earth was yielded
up until on one hand the thrice
hardened globe, and on the other
the impalpabIe flying dust, became
the objects of discontinued contem-
platoon.
The slow perlshlng of the early
planted garden and crops, the grass
es at stand still, dry and harsh,
and the languishlng aspect of the
flowers and minor vegetation was
the one thing that concerned all.
Anxious and prayerful were the
watches that were maintained on
each days sky. Dark clouds for a
time lost their meaning, for though
they gathered with seeming sig
nltlcance, frequently, too often
they departed without affording SO
much as cupful of the wished for
rain that IL said to fall On the just
and unjust. Those disappointing
clouds! how they Knocked the ap.
pealing earth entirely, or gave only
a sprinkle, where great uustinted
hoard was needed. Thus in time
Pity, not Hope, might tittlngly
have led the way to erstwhlle green
fields of early green corr, now yell
lowed and stricken by unrestricted
drouth. Corn rows, that touched
by the summer wind, might have
rustled their blades with gladness,
now gave forth sad, piteous MUIR
Iners Of regret. The world of
flowers seemed Dereft and shared
alike the common vicissltudes of
The season, dronplng In despair.
If one sturdy rose bush or stout
hearted little plant cheerfully con.
tinued to grow and bloom, their
rare example made more emphatic
he ravisblng effect of a rainless
summer.
Inland streams shrank iu their |
dimensions, ponds gave up their all,
while thirsty nature became more
thirsty still. On land never before
20 arid the sun beamed with v,gor
md splendor that in some respects
It least was admirable. The earth
ind sky at times seemed doubly
,loritied Brilliant sunshine spark
ed everywhere. The normal blue
# the sky deepened in lustre and
Intensity, while the far-spreading
caches of white clouds rlvaled the
purity of mountain peaks at sunrise.
u the midst gIowed the sun-a
,uge iDgot of metal 1T white heat,
and understandable.
At times in the midst of pain comes
'elease, in the midst OF storm comes
he calm, in the midst of drouth
zones the rain. And The rain did |
;ome. The first clouds that gather
ID looked angry, the later ones
ooked still more angry and the
lashes of lightning looked even
more angry. That surely meant
ain, to freshen and revive the earth
md cool the heated atmosphere.
Soon drops began to fall, and were
quickly soaked up by the fevered
and, as the lips of sick one might
suck the drops of juice
rom an orange. The patter of the
'alllng drops became a dance, the
lance gave way TO the stalwart
loisey tread of a marching host.
The rain was on. Stirred by wind
md rain the pine trees bowed and
'hook for very gladness, the leaves
If the oaks glistened newly. The
grass acquired llvller green III a
and smiled. Little
streams trickled over the earth TO
oe swallowed up In madder tor
.ents. The ram was on. and It's
coming lifted up both the earth
md the heart of man.
MIR. and Mrs. Edward II. Gdrri-
son, of New Orleans, and their
Mabel, Lois, Harvey and
together with wee Edward
and Mrs. 5. E. Miles. are making
4 summer visit at the home of Mr.
and Mrs. w. j. Garrison.
Messrs. Charley Maher and John
Downey, with Mrs. Downey aud
Mrs. David Glover, Jr. had pleas
ant outing to Pearl River Station
few Sundays ago. The party drove
there IN a roomy double team turn
mt. with Charley HOLDING tho |