The state herald., 1910-08-19

WY The road in front OF us led
where our boat lay, and
left-handed to the creek
right-handed to the main part Of
the village. including the church
and station. A hedge, Just break
ing into green, skirted the road,
and over Its brim we could see q
plowman guiding his team leisurely
up and down broad. fat field. The
man in his drab corduroys and the
horses. a big brown and a gray. made
picturesque group. They gave one,
too. the pleasant sense Of restfu,ness
an idler feels in watching other men
work. In the fulness Of my content
! murmured something silly about the
dignity of labor. which reused my
companion from his comfortable ST.
ience to retort: That's because you've
never done any" looked up to
where q small. dark speck was rapidly
rising In the windy April sky and
flooding the air with joyous melody.
Just listen to that lark singing" |
said. Just listen to that signboard
creaking! We shall have II down on
our heads" retorted my practical
minded friend: not without reason. for
a strong breeze was briskly swinging
the old sign to and fro. and the storm
of tho night before had left dangling
by single rusty hook. The Plow
and Anchor!" muttered. as eyed It
and warily edged along the bench
from under II. Il wonder what came
first at the beginning OF things. and
when the first furrow was turned!"
That will be something for you to
think about till l get back" said
Frampton benignly.
That chap with the plow somehow
takes me back to Algeria
My friend grinned with q good.hu-
mored sarcasm. Most things seem
to do that" he said. But II you
want TO ruminste on plowing. here's
something for a start that takes one
to the back Of beyond" As he spoke
he detached coin from his watch
chain and tossed II to me. Next mo-
ment he looked at his watch and
rose hastily to his feet. "Jove." he
exclaimed. its ten to! must run
for It," And swinging his coat across
his shoulder. he picked up his bag
and disappeared at q trot round the
bend Of the road to the station.
Frampton was right. Numbcrlcss
incidents Of the most trifiing kind suf-
feed to carry my thoughts back to
Algeria. Life In the desert. life In the
towns. life In the Tell. each had i'm.
pressed me wvidly with It's strange
and distinctive attraction. In the lat.
ter district particularly I had studied
the process and progress OF farming
carried on there In = way should
never have thought Of doing at home.
There WAS such u glamour over II all:
over even the poverty and reckless
ness OF the feliah and his primitive
methods Of agriculture. Like farm.
srs all the world over. what he did and
OF personal initiative. but OF faithful
adherence to precedent In spite OF
tho efforts Of the French government
10 introduce innovations and improve
ments tho native cuitivators Of agra.
rtan land plow. SOW and reap as men
did when the world was young To
see an Arab steering u yoke Of oxen.
one hand pressed upon the single stem
OF the piow and the other holding the
long. slim goad. In to see n living II.
lustra,ion of how Elisha looked and
moved when Elijah found him plowing
and cast his cloak upon him In signif.
cant symbolism Of his destiny. Only
IN some such insixnincant details ms
the names OF the months In the Kabylc
dialect IL the stamp OF Rome still Wis.
ibie. and In the system Of hiring labor
In the Tell there survives n custom
belonging to the early days OF the Ro.
man republic,
This In what happens. A farmer
nndH himself In debt. or he wants u
lump sum OF money In order 10 marry
aud settle down. lie forthwith Dor.
rows the required amount Of n richer
neighbor and signs n contract by which
no practically enalayoH himself until
hc lu able TO pay on the loan, Ills
master must provide him with plow
and pair of oxen, N. seed for the
crop and the neeossnflos of life. He
also receives fixed allowance OF oil.
wheat any barley per month. besides
yearly supply Of clothes and foot.
wear, the price " them going To In.
crease the original debt In harvest.
time tho khammc'a, ne he Il called, IL
entitled to an assistant, but he often
prefers to take ANAL indemnity and
sat his wife and children 10 work In.
stead, Usually he Ia free 10 seek ON.