The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1908-05-14

and he planted that enc stalk in a
hill, six feet apart each way, 'be-
cause" he said, corn must have air in
the South" and he got more air than
corn, and not enough for supplies"
John said "farmin' don't pay" but he
went on year after year in the same
old way and plowed the land right up
to the windows for cotton, and took
his holidays in bed with fever and
ague.
One spring, however, he and his
wife took a rare holiday by invita-.
ton of his cousin the Hon. James
Crakore, who lived In a pretty home
IN a Northern town suburbs, SURROUND.
ed by a beautiful farm, with gravel
walks, shrubbery, trees, and flowers,
John and his wife had never Jared
so sumptuously in their lives. There
was running water in the bedrooms,
and fine porcelain bath-tubs in the
bathroom, which was heated by "a.
diator from the kitchen range. Soft
carpets covered the floors, and the
beds had soft mattresses made from
cotton felt. John and his wife felt like
living in Paradise. Then the table
was supplied with fresh meats, with
green peas, snaps, tomatoes, cucum-
bers, and a profusion of vegetables OF
all sorts. John wondered where they
raised all these things, and was told
that they came from the South where
he lived, and that they had to buy
them at fancy prices, and they said
How fortunate you are to live in a
climate where you can have all these
things long before any of them can be
had here. You must be happy to live
where such Injuries can be had SC
cheaply for the gathering. We would
love to live on a Southern farm and
enjoy these blessings that cost sc
much here"
John got to thinking. Said he:
Wife, we are not going 70 be Crack
ers any more, we are going to be
Crakores." And they went home, and
John went to work and laid off a space
around his house for a lawn, and SOW.
ed it, and planted some trees and
shrubbery, and laid out flower beds for
his wife. He took The Southern Farm
Gazette and learned the value of a
farm rotation, and changed his farm
ing till he made more cottan on one
fourth of his land than he had before
made on all of it. He had corn to sell,
and oats for his mules and hay as
we'll, and bacon and mutton and beef
Then he did not forget the vegetables.
but started a garden and studied the
best in variety The old house was
painted and a broad porch added a.
his farming began to pay. HIS children
began to take an interest in the home,
and they, too, read the farm paper,
and went into the competitions offered
for farm boys and girls, and often
beat John himself, and made him
think A windmill and deep pipe well
and a tank soon gave them water in
the house for range and bath and
fever was no more.
Some years ago his cousin, the Hon.
James Crakore and his wife, came
down for a visit in the South in late
winter, and they were so delighted
with everything, especially with the
fresh headed lettuce from the glass.
covered frame in the garden, which
was so crisp and fresh that 1t made
the lettuce they had been buying
North seem worthless. They were so
pleased that the Hon. James deter.
mined to buy little place in the
same section for a winter home to es.
cape the rigors of the North, and to
have fresh vegetables from their own
garden instead of the stale shipped
stuff.
Moral: Get away from home, John.
and see how other people live. and you
will realize that you are not living up
to your opportunities, and that there
is something more in farming than
getting supplies" for growing more
cotton merely; that farming pays,
while planting does not, and that beau
tiful surroundings make life better
worth the living, and that in real
home your children will grow up in.
telligent and worthy citizens, leaders
in improvement rather than treaders
in the tracks of their grandfathers.-
W. F. Massey, in (Starkville. Miss.)
Southern Farm Gazette.