Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 November 1895 — WHERE HE DREW THE LINE. [ARTICLE]

WHERE HE DREW THE LINE.

Why ths Old Farmer Wouldn’t Buy • Windmill. 'Die man who sold windmills adjusted his chair at a now angle, i crossed his feet on the railing of the balcony, locked his hands over tho top of his head, and began : "Curious fellows, those Wayback farmers are; droll chaps to deal with, too; cute and sharp at a bargain. Most of them know a good tiling when they see it, so 1 took a good many orders; but once in a while I come across a conservative old hayseed whose eyes are dosed to ! anything modern. One of| that sort ' helped me to a good laugh tho other day. and 1 might as well push it on, "He was a genial, white-headed old fellow, who owned several fine farms, with prime orchards and j meadows, barns and fences in applepie order, and dwellings serene in comfort. "He listened closely while I expatiated on the excellence of ouf | make of machines; then taking » ; fresh supply of Cavendish, hd squared himself in ills chair, with i his hands in his pockets, and held forth in this fashion : • * ‘ M aul, stranger,’ he said, ‘your machine may be all right; but now see here. I set tled here In the airly fifties, broke the trail for the last few | miles, blazin’the trees as we came along. I had a fnir good start, good health, a yoke o' cattle, a cow, an ax, with one bit an' three coppers in my pocket. I built a log house with a shake ruff an’ a puncheon floor, an’ a cow-shed oi popple poles ruffed with sod. I worked hurd, up airly and down late, clearin’ up land by degrees, an’ tjiggin' a livin’ out o' tile site by main strength, an’ no favors except the blessin’ o’ the AlI mighty. The Lord's been good to j me. He’s gi’n mo housen an ’ barns; , lie’s gi’n me horses an' cat,tie; He’s igi’n me sheep an’ swine, an’ feathered fowl o’ many kinds. An’ now, stranger, after ull that, I’ll be everlastingly busted if I’ll be so mean as ; to ask Him to pump water for ’em.' "And then, "continued the storyteller, "ho brought his hand down on | his knee with a whack that fairly echoed through the house. Of course j 1 couldn’t urge him to purchase after that expression of his sentiments, and I left him. Independ- | ent, wusn’t he?” Thun the windmill man chuckled, ! as if he enjoyed the memory of the scene he had jußt described; and his hearers onjoyed his story so muoh that when he left he was richer by three or four orders.