The hummer. (Houston, Miss.) 1914-19??, 1915-04-30
Another Day on the Farm.

This time it is the first hint of spring. The rooster
but the farmer "snOOlzes on. thTeatfrOm near
relation has eectfOr he is dreaming of fields glintng
in the golden sheen of the harvest and calmly sell
ing his 10 bales of cotton at Is cents per pound.
But the wife knows the come fetchum" of any man.
So she pulls down big ham from the pantry and slices
off enough to fill several spaces in the household Lard
and meat mix in the skillet and the hot fire underneath
makes the news sputer into the air. Good old country
ham and red gravy kept MAN in the bedJust as
tiny Whit trckes into his personality the farmers feet
hit the floor AS the continued whiffs OpNn his eyes he
fumbes around for his clothes wondering Where they ARE
all at After slipping on his sOx the complete reap
pearance of ten beautiful he jerks his brtches
sngs shirt Shules into his shoes and finally hangs
his galluses his shoulders he sits down to the
table Egg bread sOused and saturated with red gravy
and his ham, eggs and biscuit making closer knship in
that spacious twilight inside his equator he washes down
the last crumb with coffee hot that nothing but cast
iron tum tum could gurgle gimme more"
Walking to the front porch the farmer casts his wealth
eye toward the elements in general and in part
cular-usual prOgnOscaOn coming forth it doesn't rain
there will be dry spell if doesn't quit raining it will
be wet and muddy But the boys assembled around him
and all decide what to do The wife has already given
forth the order that the garden must be cleaned off, fer
zed and pOwed One of the boys eagerly remarks that
certain ditch bank needs axes grubbng hoes and
about a weeks work (Now think of a boy telling his
daddy such thing ditch banks Is he crazy is he
and his father just real pals and partners in the great
business of farming p
After day the garden is ready for the pillow and on
farms than one an immediate search of the pillow is
much in evidence. One is certain tree for
pony with steel beam another is sent fence corner
for pillow STOCK while another goes to the middle
OF big field for year old harrow The first boy re-
ports that pony pillow has beensolen washed away
the second brings the old stock in worthless condition
ana the third brings in the rusty harrow minus seven
teeth Search for other pOwS supposed be the place
reveals the fact that all of them either in dire need of
repair absolutely worthless for Every point and
twster sweep and shovel is dull and boy hikes the
blacksmith shop with a dozen or two to be sharpened AS
the smthy is rushed account of everybody waiting I'M
til the last minute for that kind Of work the boy goes home
without the plOws and of the farmer lets loose
few woods that haven't yet been adopted slogans for
the society of Useless Profanity Cussng But another
boy is to the merchant to BUY pillow on CREDIT
The kindly old dealer with that great desire to see work
going and noticing the boys look for the posses
sion of such pillow smiles all right and the boy hurries
hon eWard followed by the merchants thought 20 Lord
don't let me get stuck"
In the meantime the farmer is looking for lines back
bands trace chains single trees collars and pads names
and strings heel bolts and cOulters cvsses and buck
heads, while words like 'whereer they all at
fall in and around the cracks and corners of the barn
Then with big sweep of his hand he informs the family
that he is going lay in supply of farming fix
lures and to tell them bnge merchants why don't they
sell things that will last more than one year in all kinds
Of weather fence corners ditch banks and in eaky out
houses" 3.
Then sometime next week the garden is planted the
ditch banks cleared the various patches are turned
the warming and some more ham gravy runs its red
dened glory thru that inevitable cave just below the farm
ers nose