The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-10
"A Message from the Farm =

flaws in the Constitution. and puts
him to seeking byways into the
kingdom of heaven. Why, ma. the devils
in me strong. L haven't been in this town
but six months, and here L can see how
could run ii different already. In the first
place, I've always put pretty high value
on friendship and friends-maybe too high.
All my life I've been accustomed to yelling
across the road at fellows, and they don't
do IT here and | miss it. 1t seems to me
that everybody is froze up here and moth
ing 10 thaW them but money. l can sort
o fancy that even when they do profess
friendship and shake hands each man is
ASKING up the other one and deciding
where he can catch the best hold on him in
the break-away. Every morning the street
car teeters past with all the men on the
back platform a-smoking, and in the even
ing the same teeters home again, with
the same men on the same platform, and,
as far as | know, a-smoking the same ci-
gars. Why, know half of them by sight,
and where they live, and they me, and not
one is man enough TO speak. Now, say
what you please, ma, we haven't got a
friend in this whole town-a real friend.
Nobody to drop in for neighborly chat,
or to borry things, or to set up with you
when you're sick.
Why, even old Miss Hamer, that never
paid anything back, was a good neighbor,
and so was Elviry Anderson If she did drop
in at meal time and apologize and protest
that she couldn't think of it and neverthe-
less always did Yes, it's true that you had
some callers that left batch of cards and
Il
wouldn't answer the bell. And l. know
got real acquainted with the grocery man
up on Nineteenth street, but he ups and
moves back to Scircleville, where he be-
longs. and l reckon he's happy now.
And. ma, church is not a whit better.
You know Alice said ii was close we
could just drop in most any time. That S
the trouble-it's too cosei 1t don't require
any effort. We who was brought up in the
straight and narrow way don't expect to
go to heaven on fiowery beds of ease. It's
in the nature of man 10 want difficulties in
his path to glory. 1t back to the Pill
grims who went to church with Bible in
one hand and gun in the other. Take away
the persecution land the Indians and put
in a nice warm church just around the
corner, and half of them Pilgrims would
have stayed home and dozed on the lounge
all day Sunday. | started in right brisk
at first, but | couldn't stand it to be met
al the door by a fiOorwalker sort of a
fellow who looked you all over in a languid
kind of way and then sat you down most
any place. and | suppose afterwards col
lapsed. Nothing ever put any ginger into
that fellow until he found some one whose
name would do on most any sized check.
Then il was sight to see the way he swept
down the aisle, If to say see here what
I've got your And / could just seem to
notice the preacher smile and rub his
hands together and unconsciously raise his
eyes to the motto on the wall: The Lord
loveth cheerful Siver. / reckon, too, its
the DEVILS own doing, but | can't appre-
ciate their singing. A girl gets up and
SuTSIeS Ike slle was TAKING throat flleulclEe
and others join in now and then whenever
they feel able, and little fellow with a
deep voice says no Words-juSt grumbleS.
and / can't blame him. When they come to
the amen they get real enthusiastic and
repeat it several times, and so do 1-under
my breath. AS for the preacher, | believe
he would sooner lose an immortal soul than
break a rule of grammar There don't
seem to be any warmth to the meeting. 1t
Just makes me think of lot of pale po-
tato sprouts in a cellar. Lord, give me rain
and growing corn. and good hot sun,
throw in some goddess weeds, if you will
they'll be there, anyway-and then send me
a vigorous man who hoes right and left.
That's my religion.
IL liked To go to church in Millville,
where everybody went and took their whole