The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1905-08-24


Is No Music Like Natures nelodies
Down on the Farm.
Gov. Bob Taylor, of Tennessee
The greatest danger to our civiliza.
ton is the infatuation Of brick and
mortar-the fascination of dome and
spire-the charm of urban life-its
tendency to "kill the goose that laid
the golden egg"
The sons of agriculture are discred-
tied aud their humble homes looked
upon with scorn. 1t is q popular fad
to dodge the plow handles, and to
look with i'll lconcealed contempt upon
those who SOW and reap. But let it
be remembered that it is the streams
OF fresh blood continuously flowing
in from the hills and hollows of the
country, which saves the cities and
towns from sure decay and keeps the
grass from growing green in their
streets. Let it be remembered that
from the environments of field and
stream have always come the poets
and heroes and statesmen OF the
world in every age and in every land.
There is no happiness like the hap
plness OF q cOntented rural people;
there is no music like natures melo-
dies down on the farm. The great
est kindness a man can bestOw upon
his boy is to take him away from the
cage of brick and mortar and give
him the liberty OF the farm and the
opportunity to mix up in the dog
fight and shiver lances with billy
goats and butting rams, and play
Mazeppa on the backs of yearling
steers. There let him receive his first
inspirations OF thought and senti-
ment. There let his fancy take wing
and make it's first happy flights in
the bright realm OF dreams. There
let him be aroused by the call OF
glory and kneel before nature s
majesty and receive her royal stroke
of knighthood.
There have seen April carpet the
meadows with violets, and June
damask the walls with roses; there |
have seen autumn slow the bounding
heart of summer with the kindly
touch of death, and 10! she fell asleep
among her faded flowers.
"Then winter came with solemn tread,
And on his heart laid Autumn's head.
And on her heart his jeweled hand
And stilled that heart forever"
There | saw a farmer boy, with
sunburnt hands and brawny arms,
ride to the fields in the morning,
mingling his merry whistle with the
jingle o. the trace chains and the
voices of the waking world. He caught
the sweet breath of June and listened
to the honey song of the bees among
the elder blossoms. He saw the CLINT
of humming birds among the poplar
bloom, and heard his sweetheart sing.
ing as she drove her milch cows to
the pasture far down in the peaceful
valley; and the air was full of melody y
and his heart was full of dreams; and
the song which he sang back to her
was sweeter than the honey song OF
the bees.
pretty soon, pretty soon
What happy lad I'll be!''
And when the shadows of evening
had fallen across the new-made fur.
rows and the song birds had ceased
to sing, and the crows were flying to
meet the night in the forest, the
sturdy farmer boy walked in the twi-
light hand in hand with the maiden
who sangin the morning as she drove
her cows to the meadow, far down
in the peaceful valley Instead of a
diamond ring he gave her "a lock ol
his hair; instead of Il mansion he
promised her a cottage. He had moth.
ing but hair and promises to give
and finally he said "Wilt thou?" and
she wilted. She said she could live
happy with him on bread and water
and he said he would furnish the
bread if she would furnish the water
and they got married "pretty soon, >
and he plowed and sOwed in the field
to make the bread, and he heard hel
sing as she came from the spring with
the water, and pretty soon the honey
changed to q lullaby.
There were no brilliant arc lights
to fame above the peaceful world
without, no chandeliers to Aasl
within, but the moon shot silver ar
rows through the windows of the cot
tage and the dying embers cast theil
shadows on the floor. There were nc
voluptuous swells of music, no pea
OF laughter from the giddy and gay
but cOntentmentr rested on the pillow
and the fiddle hung silent on the wal
while the cricket sang upon the
hearth.
| What is sWeeter in life than con
tentment in a cottage down on tht
farm, where the morning glOrie.
climb to the caves and tine robins sine
among the apple blossoms? An(
when the clouds overcast the sky a,
nightfall, what music is half SO rap
turous as the music of the rain upoI
the roof?
An old knight of moss-cOveret
bucket was elected a justice of th'
peace and was Dragging to his wife o
his victory, while his bakers dozer
OF tow headed children stood arount
him and listened with pride and ad
miration. But one Of the dirty facet
boys could not stand it any longer
and shouted: ''Pa, are we all squires?
"No, sir, no, sir,' the old man an
swered; nobody but me and you
mother"