The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1908-10-24

telligcnce by bemoaning the fact
that Things are'not as they used
to be-"
They are not as they used to be
thank heaven. There never was a
time IN the history OF this or any
other country that could compare
to the present. either in the degree
OF general intelligence or the pos
sibilities Of human happiness. No
man alive has any more respect for
old age than l have, but came
neat losing IL for one individual
the other day when I heard him
make that remark. IL Is a Won
der that he ever got so old. He
wouldn't IL the American official
staff included n well equipped fool
killer. OF course he referred to
thesstime when he was a young
man.
At that time there were few rail-
roads. and the principal mode OF
locomotion was behind old Buck
and Berry, and the same oxen snak-
ed the crude plow through the
ground.
His father could moi read and
write.
His mother worked herself to
death spinning and otherwise pro-
viding for her children. and there
never was a cook stove or any 9TH
er kind OF a stove in the house.
There were no schools in his
home county, and no newspapers,
no churches.
The electric wings OF the tele-
graph were not yet unfolded.
The telephone was not dreamed
OF.
The magazine had not come to
beguile idle hours and instruct un.
der the guise OF pleasure.
The money used in his township
consisted OF coon skins aud fried
apples.
He paid more for everything he
got and got less for what he had to
sell.
Vaccination was unknown, and
the children died OF diphtheria, Tor
there was no anti-toxin.
At seed time he scattered the
grain from his apron, at harvest
he used a cambrous cradle" and
thrashed it in the barn with a crook
ed stick or a fail.
The Standard Oil company had
not yet begun to buy statesmen and
legislatures and there was nothing
to illumine his winter evenings but
tallow dips and the light OF the FIRE
place.
His meals were cooked over the
same FIRE place, giving the women
folks a taste OF the hereafter that
with their ether burden they did
not deserve.
Electricity was not known and
the trolley car, the glowing horse
shoe, the electric fat iron were not.
When he mailed his rare letters
il was at many times more postage,
and the free delivery OF today was
o hgment Of the future.
His kind lived his short life and
passed into the final darkness with
out knowing except in a vague sort
Of way that the world extended be-
yond their own narrow horizon.
All his life he went barefooted
in the summer time, and an over
coat was a luxury he never knew.
Even the lightning rod N.ent,
and the sewing machine ditto had
not come to the land with the
privilege OF biting at their attrac-
tive lays.
There was no fun in mailing the
campaign lie and the snickersnee
and the roerback had not yet climb.
ed up on the festive candidate and
caused him to scratch gravel.
All OF his life il he went ten
miles from home he was in immin'
ent danger OF having his hide filled
full OF arrows and If he staid &c
home he caught the sore eyes and
the itch, and had to listen to the
eolporteur.
He never had the chance to lie
to the tax assessor, tor il that Off
eial showed up in the neighborhood
he WAS pointed down the trail and
told to git.
He never had a chance to help
elect a city council and then ass II
Tor two straight years.
In fact, all OF the boons and
privileges OF today we're not his.
Talk to me about the good old
daysi" The present is two life
times beyond and we stand merel,
on the threshold OF a glorious fu'
ture, when the genius OF invention
will chain all OF the elements fol-
the benefits OF man and life viii
sure enough be worth living. Ii
" a good thing hat the old days
are over.
Me for the present, with its
automobiles nov and its flying
machines p. d. O., its president
that writes letters that prove the
other fellow a liar. WREN we cook
with gas, wear union suits in win.