The Farmer and the Editor.

Otago Witness, Issue 181, 6 August 1886, Page 35

The Farmer and the Editor.

" Seems to me you don't have nothin' ter do," said an American farmer, walking into the sanctum of the editor the other day.

" Well, I have worked on a farm a good deal of my life, and I regard editing a socalled humorous paper as harder work than ploughing corn," the editor replied.

" Oh, shucks !" exclaimed the farmer ; "if I didn't have nothin' to do but sit round and write a little, an' shear a good deal, I tell ye I'd be having a mighty easy time."

" I'll tell you what I'll do," said the editor; " I'll plough corn a day for you, if you'll write two columns to-day for me." " Done," cried the farmer. " And I'll bet you twenty dollars you cati't write two columns to-day."

" Done agin. " And I'll bet you twenty dollars more you can't plough as much as ye orter." " I'll take you," the editor replied.

" What am I to write about ?"

" Oh ! anything, so it's funny. Eemember, now, Mr Farmer, you are to do the writing yourself. The matter must be strictly original." " Never mind me, Mr Editor. But look ye. You have to do a good job o' cornploughin'. Do it just like I would," " All right."

The editor went to the farm and set a good hand, -whom he had hired on. the way, at work ploughing corn. The farmer wrote a head-line, which read, " Killin' 'taterbugs," before the editor was out of hearing. In the evening the editor came into his sanctum blithe and cheerful. The farmer sat at the desk, vexed and worried into anger: " How do you feel ?" asked the editor. " Used up. Hardest day's work I ever done, an' two lines ter show for it."

Sure enough, there was but one line beyond the head-line. That line read, "Killing 'taterbugs is funny." " Then I've won the wager."

" Yes ! But I reckon I've won t'other un."

v " No, sir, I have won both. I have ploughed several acres of corn, and done it well, and I've written my two columns besides."

" Creation 1

How'd ye do it 2"

"Just like you wonld. I hired a man to do the ploughing, and I sat in the shade, but I wrote as I sat there, and not. sleep as you do. Fork over the forty dollars."

The farmer paid for his information, but the lesson was well earned, and as he went out, he said :

"Stranger, I wouldn't be an editor if I could. It looks mighty easy, but, by Jerusalem, it ain't near so easy as sitting down an' watchin' the man plough corn. I'm a fool, an' yer kin say it in yer paper, ef yer want to."