The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-10-29
FARMER LIFE IDEAL
THE LOT OF THE TlLLER or THE
SOIL is TO BE ENvlED.

Drudges In City Shops Know Moth
ing of His Independence, and Al
though the Work Is Hard and In
cessnnt the Reward Is Sure.
If some of the farmers who are dis
couraged because they have not made
a 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 filed 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. Ear 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 day
after day. AS rule, such men are not
their own masters, but must order
their speech, demeanor and inclinations
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 hard worker no
body can deny. Tilling 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 life of toll 1t takes some
strength and effort to dig a living out
Of the ground. 1t is not easy to earn
living, much less a 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 a desk and add up figures
or to twiddle pen In their fingers. The
life of salesman behind the counter
is most wearlsome and monotonous.
The beautiful days Of spring 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 greener
In the meadows, yet never a glimpse
does he get of the beauty of the bright
world except when he can take 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 go to 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 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