Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1905-10-20
PLEASED WITH HIS LOT.
Complete Cortentment OF a Farmel
Caller az the Agricultural
Department.

ment. mas always believed that scat
tered throughout the United States
there are thousands and hundreds of
! thousands of men who are farmers.
first, last and all the time, by grace of
inclination; who love the simple lives
they lead. and who would not ex-
change the freedom OF the fields for
the bondage OF the cities, no matter
what the worldly inducements might
be. But even the secretary could never
have hoped to meet such an enthusiast
tic farmer as a visitor to the depart
ment the other day proved 10 be. re-
J ports the Star, and the sad thing about
! the whole affair is that the secretary
was at the cabinet meeting when the
visitor arrived at the agricultural de-
partment and that he has merely the
word of his subordinates for the act
ual presence in his Office of this fleet
ing vision of a contented farmer.
For nine years the secretary has
been at the head of the agricultural
department, but in all that time there
have been mighty few specimens OF
the contented farmer on view at the
agricultural department. He has
been talked of and referred to and
quoted, but genuine. full-grown
specimen, warranted OF the home
brand, and in possession of all his
faculties. has never been seen within
the walls of the temple OF agriculture
The visitor of the other day didn't
attract much attention at first. He
was big and angular, and he walked
with the gait of those who follow the
plow and who tramp daily over fra5h-
turned burrows. Moreover. his face
was tanned by the sun almost to the
t'nt of mahogany. and his hands were
big and rough and SCARED.
Il stepped in here" he SAID 10 a
clerk in the secretary's Office. ito see
II l couldn't get some more bulletins.
They're mighty interesting reading
and. what's more they're plumb truth
full"
You want bulletins on subjects
connected with the FARM" the clerk
inquired
You're mighty right" replied the
visitor. Farming and stock raising.
That's what I'm interested in. was
brought up on farm and If have nv
way, I'm going to die on one. There
amt nothing like it."
1T is pity more people don't think
that way" the clerk remarked. with
smile. 1T seems to me | hear Of
discontented farmers right along. but
never OF contented one"
We'll, take good look at me. son. g"
the big man replied, good naturally.
Tor I'm a farmer without a kick.
Trouble Is with these people who do
all the growing, they amt cut out
Tor farming. They ought to be bend
Ing over a desk. or standing behind
counter, or running one OF those
typewriting machines. a real farm
er never gets disconnected. Every
time his crops go back on him do you
suppose he sits up and growls? Do
you suppose he blames il on Provi-
dence or on the weather, or anything
like that? Not bit of it. He lust
! scratches his head and begins TO think
about things, and. ten chances TO one.
he'll find out before he's through that
1t was his own fault, some way or
other"
Some people think farming is such
hard work" remarked the clerk, to
Keep the big man talking.
Hard work." the visitor cried. Not
bit of ii. Why, it's Just fun and
play, that's what it is. In the spring
when there's ground to pillow and seed
to sow. it's just fine. Never did smell
anything nicer than fresh-turned earth
AS for following the pillow. IT'S simply
a stroll. You can look around. if it's
a fine day, and just naturally take all
the beauties OF nature to yourself. and
II It's gray and damp, why you can
just wonder what kind of a dav IT'S
going 10 be tomorrow. And harrow
ing and sowing, why that amt hard
work, either
And as for the rest of it," contin-
ued the contented farmer after a
pause, that's just play, too. All the
crops have TO be worked I'D. and it's
interesting to watch them grow and
urge them on. And when you come
across some of them that amt doing
so well. it's fine to sort of take them
by the hand and lead them till they
can walk by themselves. Ard then
when the harvest time comes it's bet
ter yet. If the crops are good you can
feel good, too, and if they amt then
you can promise yourself to do better
next year. There amt but one kind
of a profession fer me, if you can
call it that, and that's farming. Tell
the secretary l was in, and that I
come from out his way"
The contented farmer left his name
and address, and if he reads all the
bulletins that are sent him in the near
future 1t is pretty safe bet that his
land will not be cultivated up to the
mark. Meanwhile Secretary Wilson
Is happy in the thought that the long
sought ideal of the temple of agri-
culture halls from Iowa.
Once a Senator.