The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-07-20
s|LAs BUNKER FARMER

in Selecting Seed Corn Might Save
a Farmer Fifty Dollars.
It a been a hot, sultry day. Silas
Bunker had been at work blowing
corn. He had eaten his supper and
was now seated in a great rocking
chair. He pulled off his shoes and
was resting his fet on the bannisters
Of the porch. Unless something very
urgent made it necessary Bunker al
ways Cult work in the field at six
o'clock. This was his invariable rule
except IN very urgent cases. At halt
past SIX was the supper hour, and the
women usually got through with Their
work by half past seven. Silas had
begun the practice of this rule before
he joined the union. Now. he talked
it in the local meetings, and a num-
Der Of his neighbOrs had adopted it.
He urged that man can do as much
work in the field in ten hours as he
could in twelve, if he would use the
two tours in reading and planning
for s~ystematizing his operations. Be
sides, it ave the women an oppOr-
tunity to finish their days work about
the time the men got through with
theirs.
i111 oI1b 6-oot 10 W. l. 1iloIt
than money, and a man is a fool who
Will enslaVe himself and his family
ell their lives for something the
don't need.'
Sometimes his neighbors would re-
ply: w can't help it: we have to
work or starye and go half naked
Then, something is wrong" Silas
would say, land the necessity is al
the greater to find out what it is
He WOitG then try TO nOlnt ont 10
them in a brotherly way his own ideas
about flaming. He would speak Of the
Importance Of having everything
ready so that when work began it
could go on without interruption.
This. he said. made it necessary to
keep everything in good order anG
in its proper place. Too much hard
work in the field resulted in exhaus-
ton for men and teams, and left nc
time for the farmer to repair and
car for his tools, and in no state Of
mind for him to think clearly and
perfectly the best plans for future
operations. He would illustrate how
a man who did his work in a hap
hazard way would necessarily have to
work more hours than one who went
at it intelligently. A day spent on
the subject Of selecting seed corn
might be worth $50 on the farm in a
single season.
1I1Ii1 - WLo IL SdodI III LIZ
evenings spent with his family. If
the young folks desired they could
occasionally hitch up the carriage and
drive to town to church or some place
OF amusement.
Silas has just lighted his pipe and
was sitting smoking ~contentedly, when
DAISY handed him a letter. It was
yet light enough for him to see tic
read. It bore the postmark of Wash
ington, D. c.
1T is from Harry Oldham" he said
as he opened it.
"Shal! I read it for you?" asked
Daisy. who stood looking over his
shoulder.
Yes, child" he answered gently
self"
Daisy took the letter and read In
her clear, gtrlish voice:
House of Representatives, Washing
ton, D.. C.-My Dear Bunker I re-
ceived your letter and the enclosed
union I was n among the first " 40
received letters along the same lines,
but soon afterward the mails were
full of them. At first they were the
subject of much fun in the cloak
rooms, but when they began to come
in by the thousands the ~Congressmer
who were the first to consider them
as a Joke were h ones who wore the
longest faces. When I read your let
ter, in which you expressed your
views in your usually frank manner
I realized the importance of the sub
1ect and made up my mind that I
would do all that is in my power to
do to have Congress act in the matter
and in the way you suggest.
l am going to be as frank with you
as you have always been with me,
and I tell you, Sile, that when the
people send a man here that wants to
do right they would just about as well
buck and gag and tie his hands be-
hind him for all the good he can
do. Their are men here who are INK
ious to serve the people. and a few
that have the courage to go against
the powers that be-" but most of