, 1903-04-23
FARMER | IDEAL
THE LOT OF THE TlLLER OF THE
SOIL is TO BE eNvlED.

ing of His Independence. and Al
though the Nork Is Hard and In
cessnnt the ewn Is Sure.
II 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
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 10 lind 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 struS
gle, competition and turmoil around
him keep his nerves OH the. rack day
after day. AS n 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 dsings 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 1T whatever
hour It pleases him so to do. for an
hour or so or Il day or two does not
make much difference in his affairs.
except Mt the most critical periods of
planting and harvesting. He can have
his own opinions. and voice them, 90.
on politics and religion and all the
stirring questions of the day without
fear of antagoniling the powers that
be, who can sack him IL his views
and opinions do not happen to coincide
with those of his masters or over
lord" uhe boss.
That the farmer is Il hard worker no.
body can deny. Tiling the soil is not
easy work. Since God gave the COM
mand to man 10 earn his bread by the
sweat of his face the farmers life
ldS b'th a. mt VI lols II tuhts bpiit
strength and effort to dig II living out
of the ground. II is not easy to earn a
living, much less Il fortune. without
effort. and the farmer is not the only
one who 'sweats." Brain workers
have no sinecure, although some per
ons Imagine that all they have to do
is 10 sit mt II desk and add up figures
or to twidd!e II pen in their fingers. The
life of Il salesman behind the counter
is most wearisome and monotonous
The beautiful days of spring go by,
the birds ere 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 II glimpse
does he get of the beauty Of the bright
world except when he can take a car
ride Of an evening or on a Sunday OF
holiday.
\ grocrr'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 he mar
who delivers milk IN the city. he has
even harder work and longer hours
AT 4 in the morning and even earlier
his wagon is heard on the streets ant
himself racing from top to bottom Of
the high apartment buildings In til,
cold and sleet of Il midwinter's morn
Ing or in the %enervating heat of sum
mer. At hreakneck speed he goes, anC
one could almost Imagine that his lif,
depended! upon getting through hi
rounds In due season. Competition Il
so great that he must neglect nothin.
and always be pleasant and obligini
to the most unreasonable of customer
for fear of losing one. There are tn
icemen, carrying fifty pounds and oftel
100 pounds Of ice up -four flights o
stairs. which is no easy task. and as /
is not skilled labor the pay is probabl.
not more thar it should be, considerini
the amount Of strength expended
Hard as the work Is and moderate II
is the pay. no nan can afford to los
his job, so lie has to be very careful nc
to nntagonize his employers.
The nan Who does business on
small scale and Is his own BOSS prof.
ably finds 1t no easier to make q living
for he has 10 do the greater part of hi
own work. and in the case of a bad O
Improbable season is sometimes not $
well of as his hireling, who is sure o
his wages mt least.
That man who owns his land an
has good health is n poor farmer VIII
cannot make at least Il living for hin
self and family. II may not he a sum-
tuous living. but it may he n compare
lively comfortable one. This GunnC
be said Of all sorts of occupations.
There is another hope ahead for til
farmer. If he doesn't have good luc
this year, he may the next. There
always II chance that there viii be
better yield in crops and a better priC
In the market. The element Of unceI
tainty adds zest to life which n settle
amount of wages from mouth to mont
and from year TO year cannot give. an
he IL always SURF of enough to eat o
. 49,.