Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-11-18
SEEKING THE ADVENTUROUS LIFE.

| Three or four years ago when tue
country was still ringing with the eA-
ploits OF our navy and Hobson hao
but lately stopped kissing women IN
nnh]ic. a northern Iowa youth left the
farm and enlisted lin the navy he
heard his country was calling him
shortly before corn picking time, ana
went forth at the sound OF her voice.
Behind him stretched the memory OF
interminable corn rows and seasons
of blowing and picking and the length
ened toilsoma days on the farm. Be-
fore he saw the reaches of blue medi-
terranean seas and CULTS enchanted
in fancy thru the capitals of strange
lands, touched at islands where maids
thronged the sunlit beaches garlanded
and reckoning, and roamed the sea a
rover, care free. and cavalier of heart
and hand. All that he had read OF
Drake and Hawkins and Decatur and
Farragut down to Dewey's terse per-
mission to Gridley fired his soul. Ad-
venture stood in the distance and
waved her alluring hand. His father had
also bought three cars Of feeders for
the coming winter. So he went where
his country called.
He came back a couple OF months
ago-back to the farm and the feed
ers.'-and before corn picking time.
| When he went away the old farm
looked like treadmill, a dusty. .sordid
place where men wear out their lives
caring for cattle and tending corn.
When he came back it looked like the
Garden Of Eden must have appeared
to Adam when the angel was ushering
him out into the cold cold world. 1t
was an oasis in desert, the shadow
Of a rock in weary land-anythfng
comfortable, resful, luxurious and sat-
lisfying that occurs to the Imagination.
To hear him tell what the old place
looked life from the outside In was
looked like from the outside in was
like listening to a psalm Of David
based on the parable Of the prodigal.
Glad to get back? Glad? \
He hal worked like a combination
of hired man, factory hand and boot
black He had been many places and
had beer nobody IN the road and after
he got there. He had smothered In the
bowels of a big warship, at the mercy
Of every petty officer, and after as
| petty officer himself been bullied and
| driven by another one removed higher
| in office He had begged his way into
shore leave, and found himself very
| lonesome in the strange cities of his
dreams, unless he spent his time and
! money in drink and riot. The gay, row.
| ing life had been a monotonous grind
| beside which the life OF a farm hand
| was savage freedom. Nobody bound
| himself to the masts and ran batteries
| on his ship. There was no order to
any Gridley to are when you are
ready" 1t was simply dry, soulless
grind lnder taskmasters as supreme
and decisive as prison wardens.
| When ne hove in sight of the old home
on the return trip, he thanked God that
the farm couldn't float and was an
| chored safely.
| When fancy gets riotous in the mind
| of the inland youth and shifts piano.
rama Of colored pictures of adventure
Gus lite before him, he had better rub
| his eyes and look again. The average
man bred to the farm had best stay
there. The days Of Drake and the
Spanish galeon are past. They We're
very bloody, piratical, dirty days then,