The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-08-04
FARMER LIFE IDEAL
THE LOT or The rlLLER or The
SOIL IS TO BE ENvlEp.

nxudRes In city shops know Noth-
inR Of Bis Independence, and Al
though the work IL Hard and Ia
eessant the Reward Is Sure.
If some Of the farmers who are dis
outraged because they have not made
"a fortune or their iarms and who feel
inclined TO envy their Sfother toilers in
The city. Imagining that life in the city
is more desirable than theirs. easier
and dlled 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 dnd 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 Sccodnt to
fall back upon In case Of emergency,
life Is one "dempition 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 aruund
him keep his nerves on the rack lay
sitter day. AS q rule, such men are not
their own masters. but must order
their speech. demeanor and inclinationn
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, II he does not feel wen,
can rise in the morning at whatever
hour 1t pleases him SO to do for an
hour or 30 or a 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 II 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 bis face" the farmers life
has been q 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 fortune, without
effort. and the farmer is not the only
one who 'sweats." Brain workers
hnve no sinecuFe, although some per-
sons imagine that all they have to do
is to sit at a desk and add ur figures
or TO twiddle a pen in their fingers The
life of a salesman behind the counter
is most wearsome and mouotonoua.
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 q glimpse
does he get of the beauty of the bright
world except when he can take a car
ride of an evening or on Sunday or
holiday.
A grocer's clerk works more hours
and harder than the average country
boy, who can go 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, be has
evea 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 il the
cold and sleet OF midwinters 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
30 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
lcemen, carrying fifty 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 It should be. considering
the amount Of strength expended.
Hard as the work is and moderate as
is the pay, no man can afford to lose
his Job. so he has TO be very careful not
TO antagonize bis employers
The man who does business on q
small scale and Is his own boss prob
ably finds 1t no easier to make living,
for he hae TO do the greater part Of his
own work, and In the case OF a bad or
Improbable season Is sometimes not 50
well of as his hireling, who is sure Of
his ws0sa af least.
Both sides.
Doctors Little Girl-Your papa owes
my papa money.
Lawyers Little Girl-Thats nothing.
Papa said be was glad TO get on with