Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-03-17
THE STORY OF ONE
COUNTRY NEIGHBoRH0OD.
what Good Cheer Has Done for Dick
inson Farmers.
by My Barous TaylOr.

: p q n &
1t is not an unusual thing to hea
people who live in towns and elite
talk about the people from the cour
try as 'hayseeds' and the "countr
guys There are very few countr
folks who do not resent such tai
and yet a. good many bring It upol
themselves.
In some localities there are peopl'
who go along in the same old ru
year in and year out, never tryint
to do anything for their own ad
wancement or to make friends
Whether it be Incidence or careless
ness is not for me to say. There
are other country people who like to
go and do go q great deal who may
be very good farmers, but who make
themselves perfectly ridiculous by
the clothes they wear. The bright
est colors are what please them
most. And the way they wear their
clothes! One could write volumes
but what is the user Some people
never look at themselves but just
find fault with others.
In this day and age when one
scarcely ever hears Of poor farmer,
1t seems strange that with all of their
accommodating they do not try to
accumulate some knowledge along
other lines. There are also some
farmers who are Just as grasping
for everything good which they can
get out of life as they are for the
almighty dollar. This class of far
mers is scattered all over the coun-
try, but it is not often seen in
whole community.
A short distance south of Abilene
is one such neighborhood. The resi-
dents have become like one big fam
lily but instead Of discord and I'M
pleasantness as there is In some large
families, this family lives together
in peace and harmony.
There had been parties and other
affairs in desultory way for years,
but only in the last three years have
things changed. The neighborhood
has very few Of the older residents
left, 1t is almost wholly new people.
These people are nearly all folks
VINO have had a very good educa-
ion. A good many having been to
college and still more who are high
'chcol graduates and school teachers.
rhe majority are great readers Of
he best literature Of the day, who
cad and digest What they read, There
re some who can carry on as bril-
liant conversation as IL they were :
Professors or journalists instead Of q
ust common farmers. Musicians and
locutionists are not scarce, neither
re the writer's. q
Parties were becoming more nam Y
rous and everyone was calling for
ONlething besides old fashioned 2
ames such az Spin the pan. and a
Charades." Then there were an y
inds Of guessing games and games :!
hich called for pencil and paper Y
I'd plenty Of music. Finally TIE 7
'hool teachers with few of the I
hers put their heads together and n
scided to try q pregfam. Jadgtng x
ON the applause and comments Il "
IS decided success. Now pro- n
ANS are q common occurrence, ana
ey are all good ones. 81
There has been no organization m
rmed. Some OF the people 60 ahead al
ID make the party arrangements, OF
hers Iook, after the amusements Va
d still others see to the program. -
lere is no one especially appointed !"
any certain thing. All are willing no
'rkers. and do the things which IN
ey know they can do best. In this aD
y there are no hard feelings and
is this same lack of organized ma
der which makes everything so an
ioyable. th'
II things can be 50 arranged the del
rites are given in honor Of the he
'thday Of some member of the
iwd. II that can't be done then he
y are held on some special day
b as valentine day Or Halloween. ne
ere are two birthdays. one July
b, which is looked forward to Bu'
the day for the neighborhood pic
the other Is August 18th, which
always celebrated with a corn :,
st. These birthdays are both -
Idren's, so It can be seen that
even the children are slIghted.
o all Of these affairs, 90 all the
lilies Il this charmed circle. Par
don't 80 and leave their children
ome. al Of the family goes. The a.
'es are 90 arranged that all can
togethsr, or the children play ~