Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-06-19
Pulling Up Stakes


There could have been no more vivid
contrast; no more radical change. We
had gone from the clang OF gongs. the
tolling of bells. the shrek OF locomo-
tives. the blare of brass bands, the
doleful piping of corner bands. the
cries of newsboys, and the oboe honk
of the automobile horn to the piping
OF crickets and the mathis of thrush
and robin. the warbling of bluebirds
and orchard orioles.
We had been thoroughly forgotten
by our friends in the city. and had
stepped taCitly to an unrecOgnized
place in the human procession where
there was no possibility of our being
numbered with those who are sup
posed 10 lead the strenuous life"
Society. sO-called. was merely an alb
straction; We were like those who
have been lodged on some secure
shelf on a cliff where they could see
the food go by while they watched
and waited. Two years before we had
been OF that clamorous and unrefiec-
tive mob. We had never lived for
the days as they came, but always
reached out for some bcckoning to-
UOiTbN. we Hiu NtdTHtt lot EtIOSt,
but the everyday grind OF trivialities
had burned up our time and eaten
away our vitalitics.
Inscnsibly. in the city. We had
learned the lesson of imitation. For
however men and women hold fast TO
their individuality. n constant attri'
ton Of numbers of their kind will
wear them to certain extent alike,
as all pebbles are worn smooth by
the waters action. Custom. custom.
how that artful tyrant COWS even the
boldcst. How many jeans-clad con.
gressman !uccumbs at last to the
Simian contour OF the dress suit The
days are very much alike In a city;
always the frame presents the idenu-
cal grays and blacks. the hard. bald
finish Of mctropOlitanism.
The happicst natured take their
pleasures sadly there. The Mcphis-
tophelcs Of cynicism mocks them with
the old refrain. Eat. drink. and be
merry. for tomorrow you die" The
young grow old too fast: and the old
grow hardened rapidly. As in certain
chemicals all things harden TO pctri-
faction. so the steady immersion OF a
man or 4 woman In a city leads TO the
deadcninG OF the scnsibllitIcs. Apart.
ment life Was there ever anything
more artificial? Apartment life is
more than ordinarily similar in the
penit"ntiarics and the modern flats.
But to live on "A farm? How can
yOu live on farm and not vegetate
or 20 crazy? Nine miles from a
lemuH' What shuddcry thought.
and yet remote as We were from the
city. thcr" was sadness in the eyes
OF the friends who at rare intervals
cam" TO sec us. How quickly the
crows feet seemed TO creep about the
eyes o! men whom had expected 10
sca buoyant and hopeful as In byEone
days. What was that tircsome re-
Irsin I had preached to me so often.
We =" getting old" Who's getting
Old: Speak for yourself John" Yes.
they 10 grow old in cities and the
fOuu'cin Of Ponce de Leon will never
Apou. from public square.
Is :, worth mans while to grow
old7 ! doubt It, Rarely. in 4 city
even. sou will find man who has
stcadiE refused to give in to the
years. but believe you will always
find. On investigation. that this man
has renewed his youth from the fields
and woods. Age Is 4 chilling Of tho
heart. not n whitening OF the tresscs.
'Ns,r-. my heart wilt thou grow old:
Siv f'ir IS white. my blood turns cold.
An! ne by one my powers depart
Bat youth sits smiling IN my heart
l'ut the spirit Of youth is just as ar-
par"E> in the mind As In the body,
and !-ru cannot preserve youthful.
ness e spirit by cUInmunIng with the
beast, OF the ncIu nor by turning
herm' nor even by having those
near You who are dearest TO you. In
l"sp me is srrcncly ON-likc in ones
d!sDozition. the stage. music. litora-
turH. .CUlpturc, war. peace. strife. in a
word -lIle-wiIl always hold an at.
tractiTn which keeps the mind alert to
the changes which are going on, and
which. by giving the brain its needed
excrC So. keeps elastic and vibrant the
tissues of the mind.
4 SUuge in river invigOratcs the
BODY. dusty and inert from toll and
waste of bodily energy. dip in a
new book a mingling for a short
space In crowd. a night at the tho
alter. IN afternoon at a concert, even
eay supper At some brilliantly light
ed a. 4 musicstIrrCd cafe will send
the ON blood spinning through the
veins and drive away perplcXinG
thOuF:ts OF time and mortality.
But there amid those wide fields.
surrounded by hills and forests. there
was lie touch Of peace, ard there
was etsn the lethean menace Of Mir.
Yana The march OF the seasons was
one l-.Ecring panorama OF green and
gold. or dusty scarlet and barbariC
splen' or Each dawn was a vision {:
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