The Bossier banner., 1911-06-22

A RETIRED FARMER FEEDING HIS PIGS.
of hardships, and the reward was only
few Of life's necessities. But these
hardships developed a class of hardy.
virile men who have conquered the
American continent and brought 1t un-
der mans control.
The days of pioneering on the farm
are well nigh past. Now. that the rough
edges are worn off the true pleasure
of life in the open is beginning to be
appreciated. AT first people crowded
together In the cities for protection.
later for convenience in transacting
business. The city never was intend
ed primarily as place to live. In the
early days the cities were deserted as
soon as the danger which had forced
the people together was over. They
scattered out to their farms. where
they could live in peace and plenty.
When the development of the city
as business center began no particu-
lar provision was made for the home
life. People lived where they could,
existing for their business rather than
making their business exist for them
In all the years in which the cities OF
the United States have been develop
ing the home life always has Jagged
behind. True, some of the men who
were most successful in accommodating
wealth built palatial homes. But
there is no room in the city for many
such homes Rather must people live
TERED one above another. layer upon
| layer. On all sides, above and below.
the space in which they are free to
move at will Is marked by strictly de-
fined limits. No wonder that in such
circumstances man has longed for q
| fourth dimension in which he could
expand.
People have endured these conditions
because it paid them to do so. Busi
ness fed and clothed them. but bust
ness demanded that they be always
close at hand. They knew that some
where outside the web of paved streets
lay an open country. but they knew OF
no way In which they could make
living there The stories they heart
from the country were stories of poor
ly paid toll. few pleasures and pre-
mature old age They preferred th'
discomforts to which they were accus
: toned
The coming of electric transportation
wdened the horizon of the city. |
made it possible for the best paid Ia
| Of hot
allowed the salaried man. who put i
fewer hours, to live almost IN th
country. With glimpse of suburba
and country life and what It reall
meant to have plenty OF room t
breathe. the city dwel!cr began to che
ish an ambition. He began to long fo
: an acre of his own. with garden an
), few berries and some chickens
where he could rest and grow old.
The advance in the price of foe
products made it not only possibl
but comparatively easy, for the ma
who has given the best years sof h
life to the city to retire to the cou
try. Perhaps | should not use Il
word retire The swirling rush
twentieth century life has made Il
thought of retiring distasteful. III
ambitious man let's go his work wi
i reluctance He would rather die
the harness than to rust away his
naming days in idleness But the
comes time when the strongest mi
feels his grip weaken and his mil
falter The hard knocks Of siren
It. ous life begin to make. themseiv
q. felt. The long hours grow weary
his shoulders. Some men are situat
so fortunately that they can let go
Is degrees. working as they feel like
G. and turning over to others the tas
IS Of which they tire Most men. no
in ever. must continue to meet the exa
h Ing demands of business To the 4
: shesl notch or drop out entirely II