SHE NEVER KNEW
Yes, father was a "bear" to work
nor was our mother
the kind to shirk.
Departing from a foreign strand,
they settled here on native land.
To build a
cabin on their claim
and do it cheaply was their aim
.
They fashioned it with sod and clay,
and
thatched the roof with native hay.
With oxen father
broke the sod,
and prepared it, planted, trusted
God.
And soon the crops of golden wheat
brought
cash for clothes and things to eat.
Conditions
were not long the same,
the stock increased, the
children came.
The buildings soon became too small
to satisfy and shelter all.
Their neighbor,
Jones, for his fine spouse
had built a neat and
modest house.
He built a barn and grainery to,
and painted them a vivid hue.
Then ma with her
ambition fired
persuaded father who then hired,
Our buildings made of brick and stone
with running
water, lights and phone.
Our covered buggy then
in style,
had served us well for quite a while.
But neighbor Jones with his new ford
passed by our
buggy like a lord.
The art of keeping up with Jones,
was bred and born in mother's bones.
Obtaining money at the bank
we got a car without a
crank.
With car and tractor now in use
demands
were great for tires and juice.
We had to charge for want of cash
and said, we'll pay you when we thrash.
When notes came due that very fall,
the
farm loan agent made a call.
And placed a morgage on our nest
to pay the bank and all the rest.
With
grain crops light and prices low,
for interest pa
was short of dough.
He'd plan and skimp and save and fight,
yet ma knew nothing of his plight.
His efforts seemed of no avail
for soon the sheriff
held a sale.
For morgage, interest, tax and cost
which meant pa's lifetime savings lost.
Our
plans were next to rent the farm,
a prospect causing some alarm.
As landlords are in bad repute
and
some of them are hard to suit.
A fieldman from the
owner sent
laid down the terms on which to rent.
The nifty airs and clothes he wore
just made a busted farmer sore.
He made a blueprint of our
field,
purported to increase our yeilds.
Directed where to plant our wheat,
and told us what our pigs
should eat.
These years we lived on rented land,
we've given ma to understand.
When money to the
landlord went
'twas paid as interest not as rent.
Now ma has gone to her last rest
For all
concerned, perhaps 'twas best.
That God recieved her at His throne,
before the truth to her was known.
-Author Unknown
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