Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-08-05

clothes and spreading black felt hats.
The women are attired In black or
modest gray, with close fitting BON
nets OF the same shade. They are
frugal to the extreme, and they have
gone on from year to year accumulate
ing until now they are, as q class,
probably the wealthiest people In
Dickinson county.
But the motor germ has found IT
self in their midst. Brother Isaac
Page was the first to get one. It was
a modest runabout, but he has long
since discarded that and now has
large touring car, as have many other
Brethren.
But the motor appears likely to
destrop one of the River Brethren's
favorite tralitions--that Of costume,
or rather head dress. 1t Is no ur-
usual sight to see q brother come
into town attlred in the latest motor
cap and goggles while his wife, by
his side, has streaming out behind .
veil ab long as those seen on the
Kansas city boulevarLs.
]. B. Case, with his son, ReDres-
entative Charles A. Case, runs large
| general store here. Charles Case IN
commenting upon the evidences Of
prosperity said:
I "Of course business has increased'
| That is taken for granted, not only
| in our store, but in every other busl-
ness house in this section OF the state.
But here is feature that has I'M
tpressed itself upon me especially.
1t wasn't SO many years ago that we
were compelled to carry hundreds
of farmers ON our books. They had to
have credit to tide them over. Now
It's the exception when they ask for
credit. Practically all of them insist
upon paying cash. We have scarcely
any farmers on our books now and
those whom we carried year after
year have all paid up"
| Directly south OF Abilene there 10
little town Of Elmo. They have Q
state bank there. Its stockholders
, are farmers. When the bank guaran-
ty law was passed the directors met
They decided unanimously that they
cared nothing for guaranty laws; that
they would pay such interest on time
| deposits as they considered good bus
mess Judgment justified and that II
/, Iby chance the bank should get into
\ trouble the stockholders were fully
= liable and prepared to care for all the
i deposItors. All Of which shows that
1 the farmers around Elmo are in Q
! pretty good condition, financially, OF
9 believe they are.
i But run out in the country would
4 convince almost anyone Of the pros
perity of North Central Kansas were
( re not given 80 many evidences Of Il
i In the increase In farm values and
j the general appearance Of the peo-
/ Die with their every comfort and al
D most luxury. The farms were teem-
, ing with activity. Thresners were
I busy. Flowing was in pwgress. In
some cases the ground was being
turned over before the thresher had
been moved to the next fieIo. Corn
never had better appearance. There
, were fields and fields Of It and nearly
: ali Of 1t rad been "laid by"
But It was in the home Of the farm
er that was found the greatest evi-
, dence Of good times. The old shack
} Of a few years ago has for the most
} part been thrown aside, and In It's
place has been erected a modern
I home.
At one Of these places the writer
! stopped and was greeted by eomeiy
matron.
"It's not sH peaches and cream
/ yetv she said. Farm life still has
some OF its harships. But It is 20
/ far ahead Of what It was only a few
J years ago. Every year finds sore
4 ming new. With our added comforts
and those that are bound 70 follow
Ill guess We can worry along" The
I smile that accompanied the WORRY
|. along told the story Of peace and
II s-.t.,t-,rnf