Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-07-03
TWO VIEWS OF LIFE ON A FARM.

SudTleSLOu NEWS duQ COuT16T.--Ino
printing of sensational and highly dec
GRATED murder and divorce stories is
not the only way in which incautious
newspapers may mislead the youth of
the land and corrupt the public taste.
A soulful little thing like this from
the Sylvania (Ga.) Telephone, which
the New York World reproduces on
its editorial page, may do more harm
than the goriest and raciest of sensa-
tional news:
"If you like music and pretty pic
lures, you can have them at your will
by getting up early on the farm and
listening to the songs Of the birds and
all the signs and sounds Of natures
resurrection. You can hear the chick
ems, the cows and the hogs the
neighboring horses as the farmer
comes with their feed You can hear
the voices at the lot-as the boys or
the hired hands draw water for the
stock and make ready for the day.
Then, as the first long golden lance
Of light strikes down along the silent
fields, you can see all the life and bus
tie of another opening day. And all of
1t is sweet and bringeth peace and
joy-as we find out sometimes when
we have left it and pine for it again"
We know a man who was raised"
on the farm land his recollections are
very tender. He remembers typical
| morning in the springtime. He arose
with the dawn, 1t was his business to
do So and he lit candle, having shiv-
cred five minutes before he could find
a match. Then he went out to the
horse lot "to feed" 1t had been raining
in the night, the trees were dripping,
and the thermometer was nearer 40
than SO degrees.
1t was a cold, wet, drizzly, drozzly
morning, and the sun would not be
up" that day and the mud in the
horse lot where the pigs and mules
had romped, was six inches deep. The
ROSTERS were sitting low on the limbs
with their heads hidden, without the
slightest disposition to crow. Nor did
the horses neigh; there was mary a
horse" SO to say, as they were all
mules, three Of them.
| After Juggling at the latch and
wrestling with the stable door, which
the rain had caused to swell, and
skinning the back of one hand, it was
to climb into the loft and dig around
for three bundles of fodder for each
mule. Then 1t was to go to the crib,
| 100 yards distant, and get eighteen
nubbins, after untying the Irvine
string that neld the crib door in place.
Then came the transference Of the
corn to the mule, as we'll as of the fod.
der.
AS to Old Sol and Mike, it was easy,
| hut 0r11, clY f,,1 Ia
venture into the stall of that young
Pete mule-and yet it had to be done
Pete was wonderfully handy with his
heels and was no respecter of persons
SO that feeding him was the only ma
tutinal performance on that farm that
really thrilled and warmed. All. how
keen was the joy in Waiting around
Pete in the stall, with bundle OF
fodder in one hand, six nubbins in the
other. in the desperate endeavor to be
nearer his front than his rear! Pete's
motive in kicking was merely to have
a little fun.
One did not hear the little birds
twitter; they were busy in the garden
eating the young plants and destroy
| ing the young raspberries, etc. One
was expected to drive them away
though ones feet sank an ell in the
soft garden mold. AS for the voices OF
the "hired hands, it was to go down
to Jim's house and yell at him and tc
Jake's. and then wander down the
lane, if perchance one might persuade
Aunt Mile to reconsider her resolu
ton never to "cook another breakfast
for white folks" Besides the COW
| might 90 unmilked. and likely as moi
she had jumped the lot fence.