Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-09-01

out thru the fertile fields ike the COILS
Of q sinuous serpent. In the summer
IL was smooth and white and shin'ns'
In winter 1t was alternately quag-
mire Of sticky mud or a =roxen iake'
and woe to the horseman or venice
which tried to cross 1t.
The farmers Of that locality WORKED
like beavers In the fall that they might
harvest their crops and haul them 70
market before the tad weather came.
They spent the winter In chopping
wood, feeding the stock. and visiting
each other on horseback-they could
20 no other way. Occasionally when q
trip to town was necessary tney
hitched two stout work horses 10
buggy and thus managed to make the
trip but 1t was great understands.
When the winds ana storms OF early
November suddenly swooped down up
on the farm of Ezekial Carson It found
the old man laboriounly digging pota-
toes from the fertile soil of the apple
orchard. Ezekial Carson and his aged
wife had suffered greatly thru the
eventful summer and fail. Typhoid le-
YER had brought the lonely old woman
to a bed where she was cared TOT only
by the awkward, loving husband.
Help was hard to ind. The fear or
contracting the disease had kept the
neighbors away. Their work IN tne
field was not done SO how couid tney
help Ezekial Carson? The duties OF
the house and the care of the Invalid
were more than the old man could
manage SO when late October came
and found the old woman slowly creep.
ing back to health, her husband turned
his attention to the apples which were
still hanging on the Doughs and 10 the
potatoes nesting in the brown loan OF
the orchard.
He was tired in body and soul but he
dared not stop. Winter was coming,
bringing bad roads and a cessation OF
business activity. His crops must oe
harvested and sold. There was an ad-
ded reason this year for with the colo
and rigor Of the winter came the ma
turing of the mortgage. Every time
Ezekial Carson thought of 1t he snud-
dered. The word danced before his
eyes in double capitals as he wondered
how he would ever pay 1t and he
Observation-Disclosures tho ne was in the
idea that an all-wise hand directs even
our business affairs-he prayed for
good weather that he might sell his
fear of being turned out OF doors IN
midwinter.
Ezekial Carson did not wonder why
he had lived on this impossible road
wear. after year and submitted to the
intolerable conditions without trying
to better them. A few miles from him
were other farmers on good roads who
enjoyed all the conveniences of their
them but his father had lived on a
mud road and endured all this. Why
should he complain? When the ques-
ton of bonding the state to build high
WAYS was first mentioned Ezekial Car
son had hooted loudly.
Its only a scheme of them automo-
bile folks to get a speedway at the
farmers expense;" he declared, they'll
run over our pigs ana chickens and
scare the bosses so the women folks
wont dare to even go to church. l
want you to promise me" he SAID
Grossly to Ezekial. his son, when he
reached home that you'll have moth
ing to do with the movement and that
you'll vote against 1t. )"
And Exekial the second, altho ne was
a father who had settled in home OF
his own, had never lost his fear OF the
parental authority and gravely prom
ised. William the Oldest son after
much quarreling left the farm. Mary
Louise the daughter VINO was tired OF
being marooned on a mud island five
months OF the year and worked to
death the other seven. went to the city
to seek employment. Clifford the
youngest fought his way thru high
school and secured q position In a law
office. Shortly after being admitted to
the bar he was made secretary OF the
State Better Roads Association and
toured the country working and speak
ing for the passing Of the bill.
The old man working and sleeping
and eating in his childless home be-
came only more bitter and hard. They
shan't have my money for taxes to
keep up a speedway for big bugs!" he
declared, they want the farmers to
pay for everything" He did not real
ize that every time he took load OF
grain to the market II cost him double,
yes treble, what It would with better
roads.
He thought resentfully, vindictively,
Of this thing which nao cost him his
children, for he knew the bad roads
had driven them to more pleasant sur
roundings and deprived him Of their
help. He thought bitterly Of this as
the fall winds bit his rheumatic fingers.
He carried the applev 90 the cellar
where he sorted them and packed them
into barrels. The yield was better
than he expected. With rising spirits
he returned to the orchard where the
potatoes had waved their blossoming
arms during the summer days. when
they gave promise of an abundant crop.
He drove his fork deep into the soil
turning out bushels Of bright brown
tubers. Back and forth down the long
rows he went. His coat was heavy
and the boots big and warm but he
shiyered at every onslaught OF che
blast.
A snowflake futtered down and
kissed his withered cheek. Soon a
swirling wind brought with 1t a per-
feet avalanche Of snow which sent him
coughing and staggering to the house
with the last basketful. All night the
storm ragged and when the old couple
awakened the next morning their eyes
rested upon a desert land of white. The
crops were safely she;:ered but the
market was xas away.
With groan of despair the cid man
rose stifiy and dragged himself 10 the
kitchen to kindle fire. This done he
took an old shovel and making patti
as he went, proceeded to the barn. The
horses whinnied loudly when he opened
the door. He filled the hangers with
sweet clover hay and tossed into each
box eight perfect ears Of yellow corn.
Six pairs of powerful jaws began TO
crunch the food which the old man had