The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-01-05
FARMER LIFE IDEAL
THE Icy or THE TlLLER Or THE
solL IS TO eF sNSgsp.

fortune of their farms and who feel
Inclined to envy their brother toiiers In
the city, imagining that life in the city
Is more desirable than theirs. easier
and filed with plenty of leisure tx en-
/ Joy all the pleasures with which the
rustic imagination gilds and glorilies
I those distant scenes and activities,
/ they need only try to dnd out their
mistake. Far fields are green" and
/ lose much Of their attractiveness upon
a 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 Gay
after day. As rule, such men are not
their own masters but must order
their speech. demeanor and inclinations
20 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, II he does not feel well,
can rise in the morning at whatever
hour II 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 antagonizng the powers that
be, who can sack" him II his views
and opinions do not happen to coincide
with those of his masters or "over-
lord" 0he boss).
That the farmer is hard worker no.
body can deny. Tilllng the soil is not
easy work Since God gave the com
mand to man to earn his bread by the
sweat of his face" the farmers life
has been a life of toll, II takes some
strength and effort 10 dig n living out
of the ground. 1t is not easy to earn
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 do
is to sit at desk and add up figures
or TO twiddle pen In their fingers. The
life of salesman behind the counter
is most wearisome and mouotonous
The beautiful days of epring go by,
the birds are singing as they build
their nests. the flowers are blooming in
the valleys and on the hillsides, and the
grass Is growing greener and greencr
in the meadows. yet never n glimpse
does he get OF the beauty Of the bright
world except when he can take n car
ride OF an evening or on a Sunday or
holiday.
A grocer's clerk works more hours
and harder than the average country
boy, who can 20 10 the corner" and
pitch quoits and gossip with his cronies
when the city young man is just get
ting from work. and, as for the man
who delivers milk in the city, he has
even harder work and longer hours
At in the morning and even earlier
his wagon is heard on the streets and
himself racing from top TO bottom OF
the high apartment buildings In the
cold and sleet of a midwinter's morn
ing or in the enervating heat Of sum
mer. At breakneck speed he goes and
one could almost imagine that his life
depended upon getting through his
rounds IN due season Competition IS
so great that he must neglect nothing
and always be pleasant and obliging
TO the most unreasonable of customers
for fear of losing one. There are the
icemen. carrying flfty pounds and often
100 pounds OF ice up four flights OF
stairs. which is no easy task, and as II
is not skilled labor the pay Is probably
not more than 1t should be. considering
the amount OF strength expended.
Eard as the work is aud moderate as
is the pay, no man can afford TO lose
his job. so he has to lie very careful not
to antagOnlze his employers.
The man who does business on "A
small scale and is his own boss prob
ably finds It no easier to make a living,
for he has TO do the greater part OF his
own work. and in the case OF bad or
unprOhtaDle season Is sometimes not so
well of as his hireling, who is sure X
his wa 0os 81 least
There Is another hope ahead for the
farmer. II he doesn't have good luck
this year, he may the next There Is
always a chance that there will be a
better yield In crops and better price
in the market The element of uncer-
faintv adds zest 20 life which a settled
amount of wages from month 10 month
and from year to year cannot give. and
he is always sure Of enough 10 eat on
the farm of some sort or another
The time is coming aud is not far dis
tant when the farmers life viii be
looked upon as the Ideal life by many
OF the world weary toilers OF the
crowded cities. Even now the one
bright dream of many drudger in the