"Take a walk and you will find those same green meadows, those same
brooks, those same lambs, but you won't find Uncle Josh and Aunt Mary
any more. A city like this seems a hard-hearted and cruel place, and
you shiver at the idea of being dead broke. Let me just tell you that
tramps are driven into the cities to recuperate. All the clothing I
have had for the last five years has been begged in the city. All
the money I have had has come from the dwellers therein. The only kind
words I have heard have come from the hurly-burly. Makes you open your
eyes, doesn't it? You are still clinging to the old-fashioned ideas of
the country.
"My friend, let me tell you something. There isn't today a harder man
to deal with than the average farmer. There isn't a woman with less
sentiment than his wife. There's been a mighty change in the last
twenty years. Indeed, it is a change that was forced on the farmer
to protect himself. In years gone by, in tramping over the highways,
I have met lightning-rod men, windmill men, piano men, hay-fork men,
commission men, peddlers, chicken buyers and horse traders. All were
after the farmer. Each and every one intended to beat him, and did
beat him. He was beaten when he sold his produce and he was beaten
when he bought his goods. He was considered fair game all around. It
was argued that his peaceful surroundings made him gullible, and I
guess they did.
[Illustration:
Maud Muller on a summer's day
Raked the meadows sweet with hay;
This heavy work upon the farm
Gave Maud a very strong right arm.
In Chicago just the other day
She raked the muck heaps without pay.
"Near food" and "curealls" went up in smoke.
Maud deserves credit, and that's no joke.
]