The Glenwood post., 1924-01-31
uaele Tets Bed Time Stories
Current Events for the Chtldrsu
and arown-ups,. Too
A MAN OF THE SOIL

It was cold, crisp, sunshiny winter
day. The ground was frozen solid and
the thermometer had registered away
below zero for several days. One day
it was so cold and everything was so
frozen up that neither Jack nor Ruth
could go to school. But this was q
Saturday afternoon and it was warm
enough, with plenty Of blankets and
charcoal footwarmer, to go sleighing.
Uncle Ted had gladdened the hearts
of his two chums that morning by an
nouncing sleigh ride and now at last
they were on their way, the sleigh
bouncing and skipping over the rough
spots and the beautiful horses snort
ing as they, too, seemed to enjoy this
little lark.
"What an awful place to live" said
Jack as they passed little country
home, out in the open where the bleak
wind howled about its four corners.
t.Must be funny people to live in
place like that"
"Perhaps it strikes you funny,
jack said Uncle Ted, t'but it may
be that the boy living in that little
modest home will be a greater man
than you some day. When we get
home and you kiddies are ready for
bed tonight, I'm going to tell you
about boy whose life is brought to
my mind by that little house."
And so it wasn't so very long be-
fore bed time and as the three chums
gathered about big, open fire, Uncle
Ted said:
"Jack, when you spoke of that little
country house this morning l was re-
minded of modest, country home, To-
Gated in an even colder place, the hills
of Vermont. In that little house, about
fifty years ago, little boy was born.
He had daddy who made living
for his family by working the soil,
lust as those people DO whose home we
saw today. This father and mother,
good, God-fearing Americans, named
the boy Calvin. His last name was
Coolidge. That little boy grew as all
boys do. He helped his mother and
father do the work around the house
and farm. He went to school when
ever the opportunity was PROVIDED, at
broken intervals as usual in the coun-
try. He studied hard because he was
made of the right stuff and because
he had an ambition to become a law
yer.
"Time went by quickly, for Calvin
was working hard. In his young man.
hood he moved to Northampton, Mass
where his honesty ability and sincerity
were recognized by those truth-loving
New Englanders. In rapid succession
he was elected a member of the com
mon council city solicitor, mayor,
member of the house, member of the
senate, lieutenant governor, governor,
vice president, and now president
While that list tells a wonderful story
of the rise of plain country boy, it
does not tell us that never in all that
busy time did Calvin fail to return to
his fathers home every summer.
ga lot of people may say it was a
vacation for him to go back home
every summer. But this sandy-haired
frecklcd faced boy, now grown to man.
hood, was not content just to go home.
He worked when he got there, helping
his father
"You see, kiddies, there are n lot of
politicians in the world, and lot of
them perform stunts for political eff.
feet. Calvin Coolidge was not of that
kind. Most public men who go back
to the farm and do some real work
take care to have photographer along
TO take their pictures to put in the
papers. Calvin Coolidge was not of
that kind. He had been going back to
the farm every year, not for political
effect, but to keep himself in good
health and vigor. He worked on the
farm instead of playing tennis. And
nobody except the neighbors knew
anything about it until after he be-
came president.
''It didn't take the people of Massa
chusetts long to recognize that he was
n man who couldn It be swerved from
his honest purpose and for that reason
they felt safe in electing him governor
--7 AVN VILLA