THE RETIRED FARMER 251 



caught the fever of " retiring from the farm." 

 God pity the farmer that comes under the spell of 

 this insidious farm disease. 



After years of living upon the farm home which 

 should have in those years been transformed into 

 such a haven of rest that no temptation on earth 

 could compel him to leave it, the farmer suddenly 

 discovers he is working too hard, or that the place 

 is not large enough for himself and the boys, and 

 he begins to dream of the ease and peace of a re- 

 tired city or town life. Part of the dream becomes 

 a reality. The life-long associations of the old 

 farm home are left behind and he and his good 

 wife and younger children settle down amid new 

 environments, only to find within a short time that 

 they cannot snake off the old environment for the 

 new. In the majority of cases it is found that 

 city and town expenses exceed their incomes and 

 in their attempt to adjust incomes to meet ex- 

 penses, they resist and kick against every improve- 

 ment inaugurated, and appeals made for charity 

 or religious purposes. 



The author recalls one retired farmer who when 

 he lived upon the farm was a devout Christian, the 

 leader of the church and Sunday school of his com- 

 munity, and never missed a religious service. 

 When he retired to the city he transferred his 

 church membership to the city church and enrolled 

 himself with the men's bible class in the Sunday 

 school. All the members of the class had pledged 

 themselves to contribute ten cents per Sunday. 

 Rather than pay ten cents per Sunday this man 

 quit going to the Sunday school. He was com- 

 pelled to save every possible cent that he might livt 



