The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-05-26
FARMER LIFE IDEAL
THE LOT OF THE TillER OF THE
SOIL is TO BE ENvIED.
Drudges In City Shops Know Moth
ing of His Independence, and Al
though the Work Is Hard and In
cessant the Reward Is Sure.


cessant the Reward Is Sure.
If some of the farmers who are dis
couraged because they have not made
/ fortune off their farms and who feel
inclined to envy their brother toilers in
the city, imagining that life in the city
is more desirable than theirs, easier
and filled with plenty of leisure to en-
Joy all the pleasures with which the
rustic imagination gilds and glorifies
those distant scenes and activities,
they need only try to find out their
mistake. Far fields are green and
lose much of their attractiveness upon
nearer view.
To the city man Of ordinary means
and opportunities, who, like the ordi-
nary farmer, has no bank account to
fall back upon in case of emergency,
life is one "demnition grind" and with
out the soothing influences Of nature
that surround the farmer to quiet the
fever and unrest with which the strug-
| gle, competition and turmoil around
him keep his nerves on the rack day
| after day. AS rule, such men are not
their own masters, but must order
their speech, demeanor and inclnatiOns
to please the powers that have control
over their daily doings in order to keep
bread in the mouths and clothes on the
backs of both themselves and their
families.
The farmer, if he does not feel well,
can rise in the morning at whatever
hour it pleases him so to do, for an
hour or SO or day or two does not
make much difference in his affairs,
except at the most critical periods Of
planting and harvesting. He can have
his own opinions and voice them, too,
on politics and religion and all the
stirring questions of the day without
fear Of antagonizing the powers that
be, who can sack" him if his views
and opinions do not happen to coincide
with those of his masters or ''over-
lord' the boss.
That the farmer is a hard worker no
body can deny. Tilling the soil is not
easy work. Since God gave the COM
mand to man to learn his bread by the
sweat of his face" the farmers life
has been life of toll. 1t takes some
strength and effort to dig living out
Of the ground. 1t Is not easy to earn a
living, much less fortune, without
effort, and the farmer is not the only
one who "sweats." Brain workers
have no sinecure, although some per.
sons imagine that all they have to dc
is to sit at a desk and add up figures
or to twiddle pen in their fingers The
life Of a salesman behind the counter
is most wearisome and mOnotonOus
The beautiful days of spring go by
the birds are singing as they buil(
their nests, the flowers are blooming II
the valleys and on the hillsides, and thu
grass is growing greener and greenel
in the meadows, yet never glimpse
does he get of the beauty of the brigh
world except when he can take ca
ride of an evening or on Sunday O.
holiday.
A grocer's clerk works more hour
and harder than the average countr.
boy, who can go to the corner ant
: pitch quoits and gossip with his crOnie
: when the city young man is just get
1890
G who delivers milk in the city, he ha
f even harder work and longer hours
;. At in the morning and even Garlic
his wagon is heard on the streets an
himself racing from top to bottom {
, the high apartment buildings in til
a cold and sleet of midwinter's morl
= ing OF in the enervating heat OF sun
! mcr. At breakneck speed he goes, an
., one could almost imagine that his lii
=, depended upon getting through b
=, rounds in due season. Competition
-. SO great that he must neglect nothil
=, and always be pleasant and obligil
-, to the most unreasonable of custome
- for fear of losing one. There are II
:, icemen. carrying fifty pounds and oftt
100 pounds of ice up four flights
stairs, which is no easy task, and as
~, is not skilled labor the pay is probab
- not more than it should be, consideril
10 the amount of strength eXpende
~ Hard as the work is and moderate
>, - is the pay, no man can afford to 10
~ his job. so he has to be very careful n
~ to anita gonize his employers.
" The man who does business on
VI small scale and is his own boss pro
~ ably finds it no easier to make a livin
H. for he has to do the greater part OF L
ny own work. and in the case of a bad
~ Improbable season is sometimes not
III well off as his hireling, who is sure
ch his wages ut least.
ny That man who owns his land a.
has good health is poor farmer W
cannot make at least living for hi
self and family. 1t may not be a sun
rs tuous living. but it may be compal
he lively comfortable one. This cam
is be said of all sorts of occupations.
ID There is another hope ahead for t
he farmer. If he doesn't have good lu
ty. this year, he may the next. There
S. always chance that there will be
Ter better yield in crops and a better pr
us in the market. The element of unc
nj taiuty adds ZeSt to life which q Settl