JOBE EXCITED OVER A NOMINATION.
THIS mornin while I was settin a churnin and thinkin, thinkin how high
the monopoly men and the money-lenders and the officeholders live, and
how low the farmers and mechanics and day laborers live, and wonderin
why some live high and some low, Jobe come a stormin in at the kitchen
door, so suddint like that it skeert me.
Says he: “Betsy, give me my overhalls, quick, and put up that churnin
and come out and help me build a higher fence around the medder.”
And while he was a sayin it he was a jerkin skirts and pettycoats and
sich like down from the nails in the wall onto the floor, a huntin them
overhalls.
“Why, Jobe,” says I, “what on airth is the matter? What do you want more
fence around the medder for?”
“To save the grass, Betsy, to save the grass,” says he. “What would you
suppose Ide want more fence around the medder for? Hurry up, quit that
churnin and git me them overhalls, or he will have half the grass
stomped out before we git a rail up.”
I stopped churnin, and, lookin him strait in the face, says I:
“Jobe Gaskins, are you crazy? What are you talkin about anyhow?”
[Illustration: “A huntin them overhalls.”]
“What am I talkin about?” says he. “What am I talkin about? Betsy, Ime
talkin about Coxey—Coxey! Theyve went and nominated him for governor,
and he’ll stomp all the grass out of the State of Ohio if the fences
haint built higher and stronger.
“You can see now what them Populists are a bringin us to.
“You can see now what you git for readin them Populist books and papers.
“You git to carry rails, and set stakes, and put on riders, and——”
I had sot down and went to churnin.
When Jobe heerd the sound of that dasher he stopped huntin for them
overhalls, and, turnin to me with fire in his eyes, says, says he:
“Haint you a goin to help build that fence?”
I stopped churnin, and, turnin round facin him, with my hands on my
knees, says I:
[Illustration: “I had sot down and went to churnin.”]
“Jobe Gaskins, if you and your likes would begin to build up your common
sense and good judgment with sich ideas as Coxey’s ‘county bonds without
interest,’ and Coxey’s plan of makin roads and givin work to idle men
like yourself—I say, if you and your likes would build up your common
sense with some sich ideas instid of votin the strait ticket with your
eyes shet, you wouldent have to lose so much time in the future a
borrowin interest money and workin to pay taxes. Yes, if you and your
likes had been a votin for some sich ideas for years past instid of
votin for a lot of office-seekin canderdates (who never had a idea), you
wouldent be $1,800 in debt to-day; you wouldent be a sellin wheat for
sixty cents a bushel and wool for fifteen cents a pound; you wouldent be
a givin all you raise every year for interest and taxes.
“So my advice to you, Jobe Gaskins, is for you and your likes to open
gaps in your wall of prejudice and let Coxey and his ideas in, instid of
buildin higher fences around your medders to keep him out.
“Yes, put up a notice invitin Mr. Coxey to come in and plant his ideas
all over your field, and tromp them in if need be.
“Do this, and I think when you go to vote hereafter you will see crops a
growin you haint seen before.”
Jobe had been sidelin toward the door while I was speakin, and, reachin
it, he went out a mutterin somethin about dyin before he would change;
that he wouldent let Coxey into his medder if it would cause enough hay
to grow next year to pay off the $1,800 mortgage that’s on our farm.
I went on a finishin my churnin so as to have the butter to trade for
some groceries when the huckster comes around. It was lovely butter. I
was tempted to use some of it for dinner, but dident dare, for fear I
wouldent have enough left to git what we actually need.
[Illustration]