The Ordway new era., 1908-06-05


the barriers OF etiquette are let ao"n'
or ignored and where folks put thei'
feet on the kitchen stove, ana 'he
old,tlme spirit of utter American
democracy finds fullest expression
Here is the sphere OF the cow-hide
boot the overall" the hickory shirt
and the cheerful expression. Here Is
the spot where comfort does not mas
oucrade In strange attire nor Win
n forced smile
To sit around n good fire In ktch'
on OF a farmhouse. with rasiht
snow storm snarling at the doors ana
windows. with pitcher OF eideI
which can always be roiilled, with
plcnty OF hickory nuts and walnu's
ON hand In the garrct, with apples
from the collar on broal-brimW'd
mates and with Cunkles or doushnN''
to MI in any stray abdominal cr"N'' s.
is TO enjoy NE And VI course, no"
and then. rolllckiuE tune from the
hdLle There is sumcthlrs in eli
mate where the reur ut The year
closes in for spoil that aIirals very
kcruN to me Then IS antcila' "n
in the message and farrw,Is of late
autumual da,s. and the siErs IN
tho window pancs of the Advance
guards uf 'hr "or'h
when We went into the pastures
and around th, lee! lots where the
cl,ri, c-.uch,4 thrir corusfa!ks. tn"
suowhrIs would scatter in dHsEy
bands. a.l wa'chiul Crows In 'E'
timber cLNtr! Vtri,y AID swung from
thri- airy 'urch"s as W" agDra'ghc!
Along the rall fences the tracks O..
Held mice s.uw,i. and around tho
shocks ct curu tn The nclds whore the
men had been "shuckius" ont The
corn there w.rc the tracks ~ rabbits
and quail The s'Ar~cu,1red luacos
and ehicsadces lifted lafuQueE,!y
above garden and orchard, aGl stray
hawks sailed past toward the river
bottom
FROM th" window We could see tho
teams g PAST tu town. sow" UAsoas
loaded with col. SOME husclrs carry
ing a lone dri,r~ F-sm ,ho nos'uls
OF the horses The frosty breath puned
anu & .at tfH4 -Ht. 80 tlfI l.f''~ '-+t
and the Wheels 10 'h, Wagons squeak
ed audloly over ihr close.packcd
drifts The Ma. carrier came rrgu-
larly SO Ions dis rha gHSIs were pass
able brt ~ M..'ll. Lt tha"s rem
decd thy E.&b"al~ 4u impossible
urra,s. SIS" walrl and watched for
him IN Vain. School children went by
night acI m1rnln-. swinging straps
with ID book ~ maybe. or carrying
their pals .- baskets with which they
had taken th"t7 dinners to school. The
drifts led 10 To the fence corners.
and the landscape beyond and all
aroua US was etched against the dis
tant horizon As clear and sharp as a
cameo The sunsets wer. magnih.
cent; the starlight nights lndescrib.
ably brilliant The dawns came cold
and red and red and cold the sun
went down It was a strange. st!ll.
t-ance-uke time where you were
thrilled with pictures Of snowy
! fairy!acd, and vt where the warmth
Of a TIRE was Ike the greeting OF
your best friend
Eve-yvhere one looked on a frosty
morni7s there we're the thin. wayer,
ing columns Of farmhouse smoke
ascending into the s-ay dome above
Signals Of !i'e AID enLeayor: mute
hera,ds o. greeting from house 70
house.
Some DAYS I you'd axe uy skates
and wade tA:cesA the sr5~s down e
the lake. go EAe:e : could fud. :.
| sometimes I'D. a r.ez- space which
had been sTeF; - the broons ot the
wandering Wind, would skate BY my.
self among the shadows cast by
blanketed tree trunks ald w.thered
vines. Sometimes I would ind in
fine traceries OF almost imr4lpahls
snow the sien-Glanual Of Others who
had come and gone with their skates.
leaving the silent spaces more silent
for their going.
Along this lake. and further in to
where its swampy edges backed in
towards the river. there were the
tracks of mink and rabbit, OF raccoop
and prowling fox Once saw a fox
but it was for the fraction Of a sec.
ond only. and his red brush disappear.
ed like shred Of trailing autumnal
vine before winter storm.
Clustered as We were in this TEN.
pie of the most retired Of all the sea.
sons. We nevertheless found q thou.
sand ways Of enjoying both indoors
and outdoors. and as the months drift.
ed from November to February we
scarcely felt the rigors Of the time
There were days. Of course. when
the air was like knife; when an omen
door meant blow in the face from
the wind; when neighbor STAMPING
In brought an icy breath from outside
that chilled to the very marrow al.
most before the doors could be closed
But for the most part the winter
weather was merely bracing and in.
vigorating. 1t always brough. with 4,
the necessity of resistance: the feeI.