The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-06-28
Random Sketches


The Harvester.
! "Or do remain at home to harvest
| the golden seal, mullen and ginseng.
not to mention an occasional hour
| with the black bass or tramps for
cartridges and cottontails."
4 The dog recognized each word Of
that. Before tho voice ceased, his
sleek sides were quivering. his nos
trils twitching, his tail 'ashing and at
the pause he leaped up and thrust
his nose against the face OF the man.
The harvester leaned back laughing
in deep full-chested tones; then he
patted the dogs head with one hanoi
and renewed the grip with the other
Good old Bell" he cried exultantly
six years you have decided for me,
and right every time. We are OF
the woods, Bel. born and reared here
as our fathers before US. What would
| we of the camp fire, the long trail,
the earthly search, we harvesters of
herbs the famous chemists require.
what would we do in city? And
when the sap Is rising, the bass
splashing, and the wild geese honking
in the night! We never could endure,
Bel.
When we delivered that hemlock
at the hospital today. did you hear
that young doctor talking about his
lid?' Well up there ours, old fellow!
Just sky and clouds overhead for us,
forest wind in our faces, wild perfume
In our nostrils, muck at our feet,
that's the life for us. Our blood was
tainted to begin with, and we've lived
here 30 long 1t is now passion in
our hearts. II ever you sentence us
to life in a city, you'll finish both OF
US, that's what you'll do! But you
won't, will you? You realize what
God made us for and what he made
for us, don't you, Bel?"
Back to Nature.
That nature talk by the harvester
is never read that it does not furnish
a full meal of food for thought and
brings doubt in the mind whether
it is profitable to endeavor by fads
and new-fangled notions. chiefly orig
mating in the minds Of morbid taught, |
over-worked theory fadists Of the big
city institutic<S who are never con-
tent unless they are Matching some !
sensational fad upon which to feed q |
gullible public.
Swat the flies" has become uni |
versal cry. Cities are teaching their |
children in the splendid art OF how
to do it, and the societies battling
against cruelty to animals are giving |
assistance in the determination. And
then the words Of Shakespeare sud- |
denly comes to us:
"The poor beetle, that we tread upon,
III corporal suffering feels pane as
great
Al when giant dies"
And then Byron tells U.s.
"A saint had cried out,
Even with the crown OF glory In his
eyes,
At such inhuman artifice Of pain
As was forced on him.
There is nothing psychological about
the pain suffered by man, beast or I'm
sect. No theory is balm for It, for
1t is a real excruciating fact, whether
borne by a creature formed in Gods |
image or a hated insect. i
1t is saying in Buffers Hudibras.
that
Our pains are real things, and all
Our pleasure are fantastical;
Diseases Of their own accord,
But cures come difficult and hard."
Camping Out.
It seems that there is disposition |
growing nowadays to take a step |
backward toward nature. Camps are ]
being inaugurated all about the sub /
urbs Of our towns and cities. Keokuk, /
one of the most attractive localities |
in a broad stretch has had these
camps for several years until they
have become one OF the established
features for summer vacations and !
besides being heartily enjoyed social
ly, prove healthful tonic to invig-
crate the system and to bring the
bloom of the rose to the faded cheek.
It makes the bloom OF youth and is
much more healthful exercise than
swatting flies, tramping under foot
the abundance OF crfckets or robbing
birds nests and has the approval of /
Him whose watchful eye sees even the
sparrows fall. He was the creator of