White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1935-06-27
Such goods and reputation as have
have gained in working clothes, and

Such goods and reputation as have
have gained in working clothes, and
| am proud Of it. Sitting here at my desk
in comfortable house on farm near
enough to the village to enjoy the ben
eft of social life and activities I feel
that could have made no better
choice than to stay here and farm.
"My land is clear of debt. 1t is re-
turning an income sufficient for all
necessary requirements. With a love
of outdoor life, a farmer may lead a
good life, and may read and ponder
on all theories, all doctrines, without
the haste, the trials, the prejudices
that surround and mold the CONNER
cial and industrial life of America to-
day"
Third, perhaps, of the stereotypes by
which the farmer is represented to his
fellow citizens In this republic, the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture lately undertook a cure. The ex-
tension division sent out Alderman, its
best photographer, to bring in pictures
of the most representative" American
farmers and their homes.
One of the men so photographed was
Eugene Elkins, Route l, Wakefield,
Kansas, and this is his reply to a
QUESTIONABLE that the department,
seeking further information sent out:
l. How long have you lived in Clay
county? How much land do you farm?
WAS born here October % 1863. Have
owned this farm since 1903 and lived
. on it since 1914. 1t contains 40 acres
Have other farm and pasture land
Never paid more than $115 an acre
and never sold more than foot of
land in my life
2. When did you start farming for
yourself? Where? 81 started in 1892, the
year of the panic, when I was twenty
still own"
3. What are your outstanding, up
to-date farm practices? II just do
good thorough job of mixed farming
and try to do things at the right time"
4. What outstanding farm and COM
munity improvements? Il would rather
that my improvements, both indoors
and out, speak for themselves
He is powerful, rugged man. He
has done in his lifetime an immense
amount of hard work. His hands are
thick, heavy; the fingers, blunt. Yet
when he parts the leaves to show you
fr11it lc Iafk
and there is something about them,
too, which suggests a devout person
handling the Bible.
IF you like farming" he says cheer
fully, there's nothing to it. I always
did like to take care Of things around
farm. My boy and ship load of
cattle year, as a rule, and two carlots
of hogs. We sell some wheat, too, most
years. But my main pleasure always
has been in my lawn and house and
garden, and in raising a hundred and
one different little things, just to see
what fellow can do"
He led me to loft room in one Of
the barns, where he was assembling his
exhibit for the coming county fair
One year he showed eighty three dis
tinct varieties of plants, all raised on
the place. He carries the key to that
private shop and exhibit room in his
own pocket, and leads you there with
the delight of boy.
Whats this?" he asked me, smiling.
1t was a bunch of thrifty cotton plants.
"And these?" A serviceable maui and
a pair of stout double-trees made by
his own hands from osage-orange
trees grown on the place
tits just sort of hobby" he said.
II always like to have something new"
"And I've always taken pride in hay
ing nice home. We had our eve on
this place long time before we were
anything like fixed to buy it. What