Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-12-18
Iowa Newspapers
Observation-Disclosures
STAY ON THE FARM.
TCedar Falls Record

~ "A Il >AN ANN.
fCedar Falls Record
Frequently there may be seen on
the streets of Cedar Falls an elderly
gentleman. who drives in from a
farm home to do the weekly shopping.
He transacts his business in a prompt
manner, kindly greets his numerous
friends and then drives back to the
old farm home, where his aged COM.
panion cordially greets him. The two
live alone at the old farm homestead
Here they have resided since their
marriage fifty three years ago and here
they have loved and labored all thru
the years. Here their five children
were born and from it's sacred pre-
cinctS each started out to face the
Steiner duties that must come to
those who assume individual respon-
sibiHty AS the children reached the
proper age they were sent away to
school and when the youngest became
of age all five of them had been given
an equal chance as far as educational
equipment was concerned. But in
sending the children away to school
the fond parents little dreamed just
what it meant. They had presumed
all the time that at least a part of
them would return and take up the
work on the old home farm, but in
this they were disappointed. One OF
the boys became a doctor. another a
lawyer and third a civil engineer,
while one Of the daughters married a
minister and the other Is a stenograph-
err in the office of prominent law
firm in big city.
The failure Of any OF the children
to follow in the footsteps Of the aged
father and take UP his burdens as he
was ready to lay them down was to
the parents a. serious blow. The In
firmities Of age warned them that they
must desist from the toll and ex-
posture that was imposed by the cares
Of the farm and so the filling Of the
soil was turned over to strangers.
The old couple Still occupy the farm
home with all of It's sacred memories.
Neighbors have entreated them to
move to town and spend their declin-
ing years in leisure but they prefer
to stay by the old place and here
amidst the shade and shelter of the
stately trees that have stood like ST.
lent sentinels all these years-in the
old farm house in which their child
rem were born and reared, where
sacred memories cling with passionate
fondness and pathetic tenderness, to
them the dearest spot in all the uni
verse-here they have resolved to
spend the remainder of their days.
Occasionally some of the children
will return for short visit, old
neighbors drop in to cheer and to sus-
tain, the kindly face of the minister
greets them In their home ever and
anon and strangers sometimes stop to
make inquiry about the neighborhood.
Perchance lonely beggar presents
invited to partake Of a bounteous meal
because no one was ever turned empty
away.
Happy and serene the old couple
are slowly watching the frightening
shadows as they fall across their
pathway and 1t will not be many
years until they shall have been borne
by tender hands to the sacred, silent
city of the dead, and then the old
homestead will be given over to
strangers and the tragedy Of this old
farm scene will have been complete.
What is true of this farm is being
repeated over and over again here in
grand old Iowa. The boys and girls
are leaving the rural communities for
the towns and cities. 1t is to be re-
GREETED that this is so. No calling
on earth offers more inducement for
remunerative compensation or for
more independent action than does the
ia To-, ri Oh, fn OIL
the boys and girls the advantages of
q good education but this ought not to
drive them into the professions, but,
instead, ought to better equip them
for the splendid possibilities that are
available on the fertile farms Of this
great state.
Young men, young women, stay on
the farm!