Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-09-19
A REST CURE.
City Men Who Buy Farms and Let
Others Work Them


Most city men are going to retire
believe what they say, and they don't
propose to wait for a fortune either.
All they want is the assurance of a
fair living. The unanimity of senti-
/ ment is remarkable, and so is the
cause from which it springs, an inf
mite WEAKNESS that seems well-nigh
| universal in city life and that is felt
| not in old age merely, but by active,
! energetic business and professional
| men in their prime. 1t is anything
to get away from noise and close con-
! finement and the strenuous competi-
ton that produces ceaseless friction.
There is something rather pathetic
IN the progress of the disease, and
| when it is so bad as to induce an
investment in farm property the pa
thos is very apt to increase. The
city work is now contemplated as
| passing phase of existence, useful
only as it may contribute to the up
building of the country estate, and
| the citizen of the world becomes as
simple as child. He would consult
the authorities, and having purchased
land for an orange ranch in Califor-
MIA, hethinks himself to write to the
editor of one of the farmers weeklies
! on the coast for a statement of the
profits that he is going to make when
| his trees are grown OF course he
| has had statement already from
the promoter who SOLD him the land,
which was worth $25 an acre, for
500, but he has been a little unset,
tied by the comment of pessimists
and wants confirmation
The editor, however, is a person of
vast experience in such cases and the
wisest of oracles. He intimates that
California is large state and that
there may be difference of soil in an
acre lot. Oranges do well in some
localities and not at all well in 9th
ers Sometimes the market is good
and sometimes bad Evidently this
oracle is admirably equipped to head
a safe and sane ticket, but there is a
real compassion in lbs heart, and he
suggests that long-distance orange
culture has it's disquieting aspects.
Can't the anxious inquirer personally
conduct operations?
Unfortunately, it is not often that
he can, for he has to keep right on
earning enough at the old trade to
make up the deficit, and only recent
ly we saw one of his letters, which
was written twelve years after he
had begun the rest cure and which
showed that he was still inquiring, if
not learning. He said that his place
had never come anywhere near pay
ing expenses and indicated that his
susceptibilities had been shocked by
certain unexpected and disagreeable
developments. The promoter, who, II
is to be hoped, has reformed by this
time, had laid particular stress upon
the fine quality of the oranges in the
particular district where his land was
and also upon the marvellous propen-
sity to ripen early when prices prom
lsed independence and the delights
of foreign travel. But, as matter
of fact, they were among the last on
the market and not better than punk.
That is really very pathetic, but let
me not forget the benefits in the an
nually renewed hopes and the salts
faction of knowing that the private
sanitarium was pretty near ready for
occupancy any time. Who would say
that there is not rest in twelve-year
pipe dream?-Chicago Record-Herald.