The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-08-19

and went forth, clearing and making
a plat for his growing corn. The hoe
also during the spring season was his
almost constant companion. The
wooden mold board plow was relegat-
ed to the past before my day. but the
bar share plow was the only cultivator
for corn which was then known. The
ground was frequently narrowed with
brush harrow. furrowed out and
as II was being crossed the second
time, boy to drop the corn and
three men with hoes to cover follow
ed in the wake, to hide It from the
glare of the sun and yet not so deep
but that II might feel its genial rays
Few farmers could afford the pur-
chase of horses, and many OF them,
raised cattle and used slow plodding
contrary oxen. The only mode OF
conveyance then was the OK cart or
the heavy two horse jolt wagon.
was past twelve years of age before 1
saw a one-horse buggy go past my
fathers house. The wheat was orig
inally cut with the short semi circular
sickle. then came the grain cradle
which furnished the farmer in its
season as much work as the child
cradle furnished his good wife, for
these were the days when race suicide
was unknown and the children about
the home were frequently as plentiful
as flies about a molasses jug In the
summer time. The grain cradle was
supplanted by the drop rake, and that
In turn by the reaper and in a few
years we had the reaper and binder.
so that from a patch of four acres of
wheat the farmer was enabled to raise
and successfully harvest from 8 to
20 IL not more acres All grass was
mown by the use of the scythe, thus
lain into swaths and brought together
with the hand rake and pitched upon
the waiting wagon with wooden forks.
the tines being made of wood as well
as the handles. Twice per year the
four or six horse team, attached
wagon having a peculiarly shaped
bed. called the prairie Schooner"
well covered over with stout canvas
and filled to repletion with barrels Of
molasses and salt and groceries of
all kinds and even dry goods passed
our door on its way, and loading up
at each end of the line. You have
all heard of the travelling medlcants
but these were travelling merchants.
one in the wagon to care for and sell
the goods, the other astride his sad
die horse to drive and also care for
his teams, and II was with pleasure
that the farmer received his travelling
friend and made his purchases. In
those days money was scarce and diff
cult to secure. and the labOrer as well
as the merchant was frequently paid
In butter and eggs. hickory nuts, wal
nuts and the skins of coon and other
| animals, for much of the farmers
spare time was of necessity taken NJ
in hunting, trapping and fishing. and
the family larder was frequently sup
piled by the farmers rifle and fish
| ing rod, living thus frequently Sc
duestered In the forest. roads Were
blazed through the woods from one
settlement to another, school-house;
were few and far between, these were
used for religious as well as for edu
cational purposes, living in log hous
es small and inconvenient. yet aftel
all people were happy, and regarded
attending church frequently going fol
| many miles with their OK cart anC
slow plOdding team as great priyi
lcgc, lodging "A stranger with news
from the out side world as a CLEAN o.
sunshine. A weekly paper was sell
dom found in any home and when re
ceived was passed from neighbor t'
ncighbOr until the eiirire communit!
became familiar with It's contents
books too were a luxury and Loaned
from hand TO hand and woe be Z
the one who scuffed or abused them
these were the days of auld lang SYM
when every one was out spoken, free
! frank and clever, and apparently II
the best of humor. But the passage o
years brought change, a wondrou
and in many ways a happy change
Ger the spirit Of all our dreams. ant
the last fifty years have wrough
many mighty wonders. 1'ne telegrap
was then in its infancy, railroads wer
few, and the improved implements o
the farmer of to-day was then un
known, wonderful changes God ha
wrought, and of all the ages of thu
past, not one OF them, yea all com
bincd have been given to the world
such marked and marvellous i'm
provement as the present age. Th
mode of conveyance from the wagol
to the buggy, from the buggy to tn
bicycle from the bicycle to the auto
mobile, from the auto the aeroplan
and the dirigible balloon, until to
day speed and not safety Is the grea
consideration, we run our own train
automobiles, carry our own fuel.
gasoline. and go like the wind, an,
from the slow plodding letter w
have the mail delivery at our owl
door, the telegram and the telephone
the wireless message and the sigma
pigeon, the entire realm of natur
has been levied upon to contribut
its full quota for mans benefit an,
advancement, and the farmer of to
day has every reason to thank Go,
take courage, the farmers part o
the worlds progress has not been ne
elected. He plants his corn largel
by machinery, he cultivates it Will
riding upon a cushioned seat, an
gaily drives his team field while n
puts II into shock. He has almost al
kinds of machinery for cutting, cur
ing and caring for his hay, he place
It upon a wagon with loader an,
throws 1t off with a hay fork. Hi
poultry Is selected of the best strains
| Of n To H. q,