The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-04-14
On the Farmer

shaving of notes, and having taken
his place ut the crest Of society In
consequence of the few thousands OF
dollars held tight within his grasp
halted at the house OF Limuel Jucklin
and inquired of the old man If he de-
sired to sell red steer that was
walking about a small Enclosure as II
he owned the place.
Get down" called out Jucklin,
come in and wen talk II over"
The colonel dismounted from his
old nag, came forward and seated him
self on a hide.bottomed chair In the
hallway that ran between the two sec.
tIons OF the old log house. Limuel re.
sumed his seat in an Andrew Jackson
rocker made of hickory saplings
We'll, how are things out your way?"
ne asked of his visitor
The colonel loosening n red wooden
scarf from about his Adam s.appled
throat, remarked that everything was
at a standstill. as the farmers must
wait on the humor Of nature before
they could do anything. 81 was just
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 I haven't
found it. They tell me that my life
has 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 | do know 1t has
been about as near a failure as any
mans life could be"
why, Jucklin, what do you mean"
"a mean that when man at your
time of life regrets hayIn' lived his
life, he is 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 II. 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
mis- 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 Wen get to him pretty
soon. The man who has worked on n
farm all his life has Just as many
pleasures to look back upon as the
city merchant. The farmer may in
mis- time have bought the gold brick
but maybe the merchant has been
taken in by bigger swinde. And
along toward the end they both have
somethin' to think about. And that
is about all there is to llfe-somethin
TO think about At very early age
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. Now, what will you take for
that steer? I'm in something of a
hurry"
AN right don't know of n 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 n statesman
Experience Is his guide, and we are
told that all wisdom dates back to ex
perience II Is true that he does moi
handle as much money as the banker
nor does he handle as much bread as
the baker, but the baker can eat only
q certain amount; and the money thai
the banker handles-money that cam
relieve a real want OF nature-aint
dom his soul any particular good
The doctrine of contentment is an ole
one, but better one was never
preached. And the farmer ought t
be the very model OF contentment. HI
would be II he stopped to think Mel
that set the world afire die in tn,
flames. Greatness at least acknowl
edges it's weakness. In this there is
valuable lesson. 1t should teach us t
be contented. We all ought to ask our
selves this vital question: What Il
success? 1t amt noise, for slenc,
must follow, and silence can las
longer than sound. There never wa
storm as long as the calm. The,
that find happiness In buster will flint
misery in quietude."
Your lecture Is very good" said tn,
colonel, but really should like Il
get down to that steer"
Wen get down to him pretty soon