The Natchitoches enterprise., 1917-02-08
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT.
A Story And Its Application

A farmer was late one afternoon
driving along country road when he
came to narrow lane through which
he had to pass in order to reach home.
In the middle of the road lay an i'm
mense rock which made it impossible
for him to pass. He tried to push it
to one side, but to no avail. There
upon he sat down upon the stump of a
tree and bemoaned his sad predica-
ment In little while second far
mer came along and likewise attempts
ing to remove the obstruction and find
ing 1t Impossible to do SO, he sat down
alongside Of farmer number one with
detected expression upon his face.
Shortly thereafter a third farmer
passed that way and he too attempting
to clear the road and finding his efforts
futile, joined the sad company of the
other two. He had scarcely taken his
seat when along came fourth, big,
braWny fellow, who pat forth every
effort to roll aside the obstacle, but |
his labOrs met with as little result as |
had the labors of the other three, and
thus the four sat, each one sunk in
thoughts none too pleasant, conUem
plating the approaching darkness with
much uneasiness. At last one of the
quartet spoke up and said "Why not
poll our efforts, why not unite our
strength. Perhaps what we were I'm
able to do single handedly, we shall be
able to accomplish through the joining
forces" No sooner said than done,
and what had appeared to be a noun
tain dwlndled down TO mole hill. Inc
rock was very soon rolled to one side
and the four farmers went rejoicing
on their way.
What is the moral of this story? Co.
operation is the biggest, the most preg-
liant word in the English vocabulary. ,
cooperation Is the open Sesame, .
ne key that unlocks many door that /
would otherwise remain forever closed. I
10 cooperation it is that we owe the =
treat Accomplishment that have been
IN the world 5 history. With
ut cooperation progress and civiliza-
ION would be unknown words. Ii We =
AVE the Panama Canal, it is due to
cooperation. Ii the soul stain of child
a0or Is gradually being wiped away
rom our national escuUcAeon, il the Z
read monster, the white prague, is be- b
q driven DAck surely farth4And far
ner from the haunts OF men, itVs due I
imply and solely to the cooperative
itorts OF consecrated men and woman, b
every sphere OF life cooperation Is b
ne magic word tnat spells success and II
chleyement -
NOW, this Is a matter that should A.
1ncern all the people OF our commun-
y. 1t should concern you, reader, as y
ell as those Who launched the NOV >.
ent air4aIJ referred to. 1t snJuIu n
'ncern men as we'll as women, ana let .
e add, particularly should it Concern =,
lie latter, because the aesthetic is the bt
.culiar sphere of the gentler sex. Now BIZ
at an organization has been effected
meet the Iong-felC want, it Is earnest -
TO be hoped that every one viii lend tn
hand III making 1t efficient and fruit III
! III results. a Chinese proverb has
that IN order 10 have : Clean city, it ~
necessary that each one sweep De y,
re lis own door. BY way Of applica-
III let me say, let each one first get
Oh the uAs.ghtiiness tnat exists
ound his own nome. Let us first do
T utmost 70 Deautify our own imme-
te vicinity, and when We nave &C.
mpllShed this, let Us unite our efforts
rid the city as whole Of the ugly
DTS that are all 70 evident in our w
)0t puoLc places. Then will We have by
;lCy that VIII be worth while, iii the of'
hest sense OF that phase, d city in t;a
lcn our Children may grow Up under dis
best possible influence, d city in 81;
llch organizations AMI societies will COZ
eager to hold their conventions. = -
Wn Talk.