The Neshoba Democrat., 1910-04-14
On the Farmer

=, VI ho'es, ana naVlng taken
| MS place at the crest of society in
| consequence of the few thousands of
aoliars held tight within his grasp.
| matted at the house of Limuel Jucklin
and inquired of the old man if he de-
slred to sell red steer that was
walking about small inclosure as if
ne owned the place.
Get down." called out Jucklin.
come in and We'll talk it over"
The colonel dismounted from his
ola nag, came forward and seated him.
sell on hide-bottomed chair in the
hailWay that ran between the two Sec
tlons OF the old log house. Limuel re.
sumed his seat in an Andrew jackson
rocker made of hickory saplings.
wen, how are things out your way?"
he asked of his visitor.
The colonel, loosening red woolen
scarf from about his Adam s-appled
throat, remarked that everything was
at standstill, as the farmers must
walt on the humor of nature before
they could do anything Il was lust
thinking as came along" said he.
that the farmers is the hardest life
OF all. I've heard good deal of talk
ever since | can remember about the
freedom of the country, but | haven't
found it. They tell me that my life
mas been a success, but | don't know"
Il think do know the chicken
fighter replied.
The colonel, expecting compli
ment, smiled upon him and said,
"Yes?"
Yes, think l do know. II has
peen about as near a failure as any
mans life could be-
"Why, Jucklin, what do you mean?"
Il mean that when a man at your
time of life regrets havin' lived his
life, he is a failure. That's what |
mean. You are lamentin' on behalf
of the farmer, but you don't represent
him. He lives close to nature, but
your struggle has been to get away
from it. You are fence-corner spec
ulator."
Everybody grants you the privilege
of saying what you please, so go
ahead"
Much obliged. Now, let us look at
him for moment. The farmer ranges
nearly over all the landscape of life.
In him all of the emotions of human
nature are embodied. His world Is
his neighborhood, and every communi-
ty contains every shade of the human
mind, undeveloped but there in the
rough, you might say. Children and
old people love the country"
Yes, but about that red steer"
"All right. Well get to him pretty
soon. The man who has worked on
farm all his life has just as many
pleasures to look back upon as the
city merchant. The farmer may in
his time have bought the gold brick,
but maybe the merchant has been
taken in by bigger swindle. And
along toward the end they both have
sOmethin' to think about. And that
is about all there is to life-somethin'
W eAAih dDoul. al Il NCly carly axe
we begin to live in the past. The
farmer has his past closer about him
than other men have. They have
seen the same seasons pass over the
same endeared fields"
That is very true" the colonel ad-
mitted. Nov, what will you take for
that steer? I'm in something of a
hurry"
"All right. l don't know of a finer
steer anywhere than that one. But
just wait moment. Let's go at the
farmer little closer. In small way
the successful farmer is a statesman.
Experience is his guide, and we are
told that all wisdom dates back to ex-
perence. 1t is true that he does not
handle as much money as the banker,
nor does he handle as much bread as
the baker, but the baker can eat only
a certain amount; and the money that
the banker handles-money that cant
relieve a real want of nature-ain't
doin' his soul any particular good.
The doctrine of contentment is az uld
one, but better one was never
preached. And the farmer ought to
be the very model of contentment. He
would be if he stopped to think Men
that set the world atire die in the
flames. Greatnes at least acknowl-
edges it's weakness. In this there is Il
valuable lesson. 1t should teach us to
be contented. We all ought to ask our
selves this vital question:: What is
success? 1t amt noise, for silence
must follow, and silence can last
longer than sound. There never was
a storm as long as the calm. They
that find happiness in buster will ind
misery in quietude."
Your lecture is very good" said the
colonel, but really | should like to
get down to that steer"