Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-03-29

Two mocking birds are building a nest
IN the big oak in front OF the gate,
pair OF jays are as busy as bees taking
the material for a home up into a
sweet gum tree. two squirrels are frisk-
ing ND and down the trunk OF black
gum and a jenny wren is fitting In and
out OF my room. Forty-five hens, some
young chickens and a young calf are
evidences OF a proper regard for the
creature comforts, and a beautiful dog
in the yard tells OF care and love All
these things proclaim the fact that
spring has claimed her heritage and ma
ture has shOwered her with good things.
Florida is In her glory just now. As
see the men in the fields, and follow
them with my eyes as they so up and
down the rows OF beans. Irish potatoes
aud turnips. I am filled with amusement
that anyone can be tempted TO live in
paper bags and stay housed up In shop
or office Then common sense comes
70 the rescue and reminds me that
every line Of industry is Just as appeal
ing 20 those adapted TO IL as mine Is 10
me How much Of a living could / make
in this day OF uncertain hired help try
ing 10 farm2 1 do believe that / could
make both sides Of the ledger balance
II / turned my attention TO chickens
and eggs and shipped them TO Jackson
vilIe for they stil pay 20 cents dozen
for really fresh eggs and chickens are out
OF sight There can't be any success
with poultry II the attention Is spasmod-
ic. II takes all day and every day IL
one has a hundred hens and looks after
the chickens and eggs as they should.
After almost three months am again
in Madison county. Fla Three weeks
ago I was two hundred miles farther
south. there potatoes. corn and beans
were making their owners plan all sorts
OF things as the result Of bumper crops.
Here I find those crops with the add
ton OF oats. rye and corn, just as prom
Using. This county has a Boys Corn
club and a Girls Tomato club and I
hope that / may be able to see the
results. and that some OF the farmers
win be among the prize winners. This
morning the rural mail stopped at the
gate and the pile OF Semi Weeklies left
mighty little room for Mr.. Haddens
feet With telephone, improved methods
and a daily mail at ones very gate
there IS not much excuse for the cor
ner loafing place nor for every Satur
day to be spent in town I know that
all OF US want 70 swap ideas occasion
ally. but IL seems 20 me that the best
way to do that would be for farmers
90 see each others crops and make
friendly visits This morning l saw a
nicely dressed man stop across the way.
tie his horse and hunt up the Mr..
Master" OF this place I supposed the
candidate was abroad and 1 began TO
hum.
.Howdy. hOwdy. howdy. do
How.s your wife. and how are you?
on. II fits my fist as no other can,
The honest hand OF the working man."
Later / found out that the candidate is
not yet that much in evidence That was
one Of the neighbors advocating good
roads. plenty OF foodstuff grown on the
place and cows and hogs 10 supply home
ana share OF the market Right then
! decided he was the sort of neighbor
20 have His fat horses. good fences
and good tenant houses show that he
practices as wen as breaches the right
IDEAS
I've seen people live eight and ten
miles Ia the country and buy their eggs
and butter There was always an ex-
cuse. btIt an excuse and a good reason
are as different as any real thing and a
poor Imitation. One excuse is that the
cows feed costs as much as the milk
and butter: corn and rye will keep a
COW and chickens and I defy any one
20 have yeIlower butter than my moth
er has always made. AS ] said in the
beginning. both are a lot OF trouble and
demand regularity but / want to know
what there is that is worth having that
does not demand time and systematic
attention
Let's start this new crop year right
and decide not TO buy any more than is
Necessary and raise a surplus for next
year. Cotton is no longer the only
money crop. hogs are ranking pretty
high and In this county syrup is a good
crop. there is never enough to supply
the demand and the great American
Hen is doing her level best 10 pay the
taxes and buy the Easter hat
Last Sunday 1 attended Sunday school
N Madison and a more delightful serv-
Ice I've not heard in "a long time Sew
eral years ago DR.. culpepper and his
son were here The good that God &C
eomplished through the two at that time
cannot he estimated. Old and young
were genuinely converted. Seed OF the
word we're sown in all sorts Of soil
as We know is always the way, but some
has even now brought forth the sixty
and hundred fold. They returned last
week and Sunday the boys who Joined
the church az that time were I'D be-
fore them and given a beautiful talk.
AS watched those sixteen faces ana
heard their straightforward answers.
none Of them are cherubs. but the divine
fire Is IN their hearts. 1 thought to my
self. II Madison Is not the center OF
many good movement and does not
send out many q strong man and good
woman IL VIII be the fault OF the pa
rents Of those boys They viii be either
blessings or curses TO this community
and the world just as they are encour-
aged or teased at home"
The boy who does not know his null
tplicatiOn table at IA is considered a
block head. but how many OF them
know the Golden Rule and ten COM
mandments. 10 say nothing OF the
Beatitudes2 A greater question than
clean hands and faces. important as
that one is. should be pure hearts and
clean lips. Fathers and mothers are
going 70 be required 10 give an account