The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-01-26


II was beautiful day and as I |
strolied through Franklin Park. the |
baimy air beguiled ne into an invit- /
ing bench hard by the fountain AS
puiIled iazliy Al my cigar. | perceiv-
ed. sitting on a neighborins bench the
tramp who had besged the bread and
oheese. lie was nibhling away. like a
man VINO has cut the keen edge from
ms appetite and eats merely because
he coesn't like TO miss 4. cnance.
AS ! watched him. there sneaked
up 1oriorn looking dog. lie was Of
the yellow cur type and looked IS
hungry and friendless as the tramp.
lie greedily eyed the bread and cheese.
approaching tmidly but hopefully and
eagerly Wasging u sagging tail in
token of peace.
The tramp looked al the dog mo
lnenl, took one last bite and, break
ing up the rest of his repaSt in pieces
threw the chunks to the cur Aston
lShed at this unlock editor generosity
the dog halted a moment in dodbt
| then, boiling the biggest piece IF
| cheese with Il gulp, he seized another
IN his mouth and made off at full
| speed
AS he dashed over the park curb
| ing he flushed a lean alley cat who
| was hiding III the shrubbery in that
vain and endless quest for English
sparroWs that is the sad delusion of
| T''oiil!iS loH dlieE cats. she came
scurrying away from the threatened
danger and, in her fright, caught
scent of the bread and cheese lying
on the park walk The prospect OF
food halted her and she crept stealthi-
| ~ up, keeping a wary eye for stray
rocks and stones At length, finding
no danger, she shifted the cheese,
grabbed a generous chunk in her jaw
and Hoped off in the direction of
Franklin School
Hardly had the cat disappeared,
| when bushy tailed squirrel came
tripping in his staccato style Of step
across the greensWard. With peanuts
in mind, he made for me, but, encoun-
terlng the remnants of the bread, he
stopped and coyly nibbled at a morsel
Satisfied that it was good, he up-end-
ed himself and, using his fore-feet As
knife and fork, proceeded to make a
hearty meal. One piece disposed Of
he deity picked up another. nibbline
} AS daintily as q debttante at her first
luncheon. Then, having satisfied his
appetite, be took a crust in his jaws
and, unmindful Of the sparroWs scold-
ing over his delay, tripped across the
lawn until, finding suitable spot, ht
buried his booty for tomorrow break
, fast.
Meantime the English sparrows hat
gathered about the remaining crumbs
and set fiercely TO work with all t}l'
| furious and pugn2ciOuS animation OF ;
8 democratic county convention. go
G ten minutes they ate and fought il
e turn until with crops filled, they flew
5 off to chatter and fuss about the fOun
tain.
u flung away my stub and rose. \
: / passed the few remaining crumbs,
e saw trundling clunsily along tn
S ground as they hurried from the fou
q qua rterS a number Of great black bet
+ ties, drawn hither by the promise Q
:: a feast. One big fellow had alrcad
e attached himself to a crumb as larg
: as he was, and, oblivious OF all earth
II II cares, was gOrging himself with tn
8 rare and delicious banquet. From til
6, chinlls of the gutter bricks there Ner
3 pouring forth hosts of little red ant
: scuttlinS along in haste to get as niue
5, as possible OF this treasure ,roVe fo
: their winter larder., These, with tn
lie ants foresight. took no thought {
e their present hunger. but addIesse
e themselves earnestly to the storing
y, their little warehouses. For five mil
re utes or more l stood watching tn
l. beetles and the ants. At the end {
l. that time there was not crulnb
le DC seen.
1t Now, there's o moral to this" COZ
G, Guided the Philosopher, as he III
~ wound his legs and deposited them c
OF the floor. In these days OF the his
= cost Of living a cent loaf ana
10 cents' worth OF cheese affords plea
* ant luncheon for my wife and mysel
satisfies the hunger Of an emp
tramp, furnishes a dinner for star
ing dos, feeds a hungry eat, proVld
dinner and tomorroW's breakfast I
z a squirrel in vain search q peanut
- fills the Sto1nachs Of q dozen raVeDo
sDarroWS-and then offers a. gor:
for q score Of beetles and fills Il
Mt winter orders of g host Of an
g There's a moral, out I don't l-!tC
IS Just Whit it is
n -->9p-----
MISS KATE, FLEMING
NJ