THE FARMER.
If the farmer fails
And can not buy,
Then the merchant's goods
Upon the shelf must lie.
If the farmer fails
And has nothing to sell,
Then the banker's account
Does not swell.
If the farmer fails
And has nothing to ship
The railroad train
Makes an empty trip
If the farmer fails
And hasn't the money aught
Then the lawyer's fee
Drops down to naught.
If the farmer fails
And hasn't the bills,
Then the doctor
Ceases to roll his pills.
If the farmer fails
And can not pay,
The school-teacher's account
Waits another day.
If the farmer fails,
As sometimes fail he must,
The world's business lags
And the wheels of commerce rust.
But if the farmer succeeds,
As succeed he should,
We all look happy
And we all feel good.
For upon our broad shoulders
All the rest do lie,
And sometimes the pile
Gets very, very high.
—JAMES B. HUNNICUTT, in Agriculture for the Common Schools.
