Mower County transcript., 1913-08-06
BEN'S
COLUMN

COLUMN
Wife and I were down to the old
farm the other day and l tell you
things looked good and the way they
can hustle down the grain and do all
farm work nowadays is caution. Some
differ betwixt the wide swarth self
binder of today and the old cradle we
used to swing by hand and some of US
can go back to the sickle. can re-
member when we had the rake off
grain cuttin' machines and bound off
the ground and after we got SO two
men could ride and bind on the table
We thought we was fixed fine but now
to sit on a self binder and dump fifteen
acres day and up with long hours the
old timers want in it. Same with hay
in. We used to pitch ali by hand onto
the wagon and into the NOV but the
self leaders and the pulley hay forks
handle the whole bus IN a jitfy without
hand power. I don't know what we'd
do today with scarcity of farm help II
We didn't have these improved farm
machiherys. I'm glad I've lived to see
all. the improvements that arc goin' and
l hope to see more.
Speakin' of vacations, I bet me and
wife hsv just as good as those who 60
off q thousand miles and suffer all the
tiresome travel and small hot hotel
rooms and measly vittles and no
chance for quiet and rest by yourselves
and all the time spendin' lots of money
I never could see where the fun of
such came in when you was tireder
when you got back than when you
started away. tell you we can hav
lots of splendid vacation rite at home
where you can peel off your superdu-
Gus clothes and lay round in the shade
and when wife and I want to take a
trip we hitch up the old mare aud go
down to the farm for the day. can't
think of any prettier scenery than the
oceans of grain fields wavln' in the sun
and I can't think any nicer music than
the singin' of the birds, and the bleat-
in of the calves and lambs, and the
happy notes of fowls, and the quaile
and prairie chickens. All natur seems
to be close to you and such surround
ings are so restful and exhileratin'.
1 tell you I've been watchin' the pro.
gress of that champion walker, Ed
ward Payson Weston, who reached
Minneapolis Saturday ahead of time
walkin' all the way from New York
1900 miles and he was ready to start
right back agen over the same track
He's Is years old too, no young kid in
his prime of vigor but what lots call
old and sposed to be has been. Yet
here he comes and all the way tens OF
thousands greet him with welcome and
cheer him on the trip. I spose there
amt q man in this country not half az
old who could match Weston on this
long sprint and make the time and
endurance. Materially Farmer Ben
[ wants to get the secret of such hold
in out on the last end of life and here
it is. Weston is man of frugal
habits. He eats and sleeps regular
doesn't booze or opiate or narcotic, he
rests one day in seven no matter what
calls, and wears thick sole shoes that
are large enuf and comfortable 1t.
That's q rule of livln' every one car
handle. It don't cost million dollars
Regular plain vittles and plenty o1
'em, regular sleep and no dissipatin
tells the whole story. u D.
y . <
+ Iaint got over. bsin' hot at attofns,
general Nc for postponin' the trial 81
the nasty white sIavsr s. San Fran