Mower County transcript., 1903-12-30

~ VI sAAAAAf y
FARMER yBEN'S COLUMN.
That Nonpareil Man on the Minnea
polls Journal has nothin' small about
him, judgin' from the extracts from his
facile pen that hav had my attention
called to. He thinks Farmer Ben is
one Of the incest old fellows ever, with
his pockets full Of nuts and candy for
the children and alwus has a smile for
the post,nistress when he goes after his
mail. l tell you I bet that chap has
lots of the milk of human kindness
flowin' in his bosom. I bet be likes
boys and girls too if his book on "stony
Lonesome is any criterion to go hy.
He just gets to the heart Of childhood
and picturs the scenes Of boyhood ad-
ventures like a master mind. tell
you the man that has warm place for
the children in his heart will get along
all right in this world. There's a great
plenty of rough experiences that come
on all of us when we get up to be full
matured without pushin' any unnces-
sary pain and trouble on the little kids.
| like to have the little folks round.
You just ought to hav seen the young
push at our Christmas tree Friday. 1t
would hav done your old soul good to
see 'em watch the tree and the presents
and find out what Santa brought each
one. There's lots of children in this
cold world that don't get half show
at fun and I've made it a rule from
long ago to be friendly. with 'em all.
When Farmer Ben is dead and gone he
don't want q better epitaf.:than that the
children run after him and loved him.
90 .
Maybe before all the people die some
of 'em will wake up to the Importance
Of the proposition that the biggest mis-
take ever perpetrated' in our schools
and homes was the abolishin' of cor
poral punishmen in the treatment of
unruly boys and girls The pendulum
lis beginnin' to swing over to the other
side There's lack of respect for law
and authority and order that is develop.
in' with swiftness which is ominous of
only evil. / tell you when 1 grew up I
had to take my medicine with a. strap
,or fawhide when I kicked out Of line
and didn't mind father and mother and
teacher and a good application Of strap
oil was tonic that fixed us up right
and it would last month or two be-
fore we needed any more. The result
was children was docile and right habit
ed and if there was big ugliness in a
a young disposition, we had to get ex-
ira doses to cure us and conquer us.
I can remember how Xenophon Demos
themes down on Branch avenue used to
fix 'em right and some of the best be-
haved men and women down in that
country today are the ones that was In
his school, 1 don't believe in continu-
ally poundin' young ones for it does
more harm than good but judicious
punishment goes to the right spot. l
don't believe that the risin' generation
is bein' improved today by havin' all
women teachers instead of men teach
ers. Say what you will, the women
don't inspire the same respect for
authority as the men. We used to hav
men teachers every winter for the big
boys and girls and that's the way We
hav all come up so favorable. You 60
and ask any of the .lawless elements
anywhere if they ever had men teachers
and they will tell you No.
l reckon that the graft business ex-
posed durin' the past few months will
put a stop for while to the tommyrot
talk about further ownership of public
works by the cities and government.
l never see in all my born days how
much corruption is goin' on. Grafters
abound in all departments and it's