Ref: Town and Country Newspaper Pennsburg, Montgomery County, PA Saturday - July 4, 1903 WAGON DEMOLISHED IN RUNAWAY While a son, of Abraham DOTTERER, of Dale, was delivering milk to Barto Station, on Thursday morning the horse took fright about midway between his home and the station and ran away. Mr. DOTTERER was thrown out and had a very narrow escape. The wagon was almost entirely demolished and the milk was thrown out and spilled. After escaping from the driver the horse continued on his way to the station, turned around and started on his way home as if nothing had happened. Mr. DOTTERER bought a new wagon at the Pennsburg Carriage Bazaar to replace the one demolished. HOTEL REPAINTED Landlord A.W. CROLL, of Pleasant Run, is having his hotel repainted. Mr. RENNINGER, of Sassamansville, is having the contract. FORE-FINGER BADLY CUT WITH HATCHET Abraham, the eight year old son of C.A. TITLOW, of this borough, on Thursday while playing with a hatchet, cut the fore-finger of his left hand, completely severing the nail and passing almost through the finger. The wound was dressed, and although painful, is doing nicely. CAUGHT LARGE BASS Henry T. STAHSEL and George KRATZER, of this borough, were on a fishing trip to Kratz Station, on Wednesday. They succeeded in catching a number of bass, the largest of the measured 18 inches and weighed four pounds. SNAKE BITES CHILD IN LIP Henry HENSING, aged 4 years, of Perkasie, was bitten in the lower lip by a snake on Monday afternoon. The snake was found in a barrel of cabbage that had been shipped from New Jersey. The victim is in a serious condition. A BUCKS COUNTY FARMER'S BOY Robert E.P. MUMBAUER (picture). The subject of our sketch was born on a farm in Milford township, Bucks county, in January 1883. During his early boyhood years he attended to such farm duties as usually befall boys of tender years. At the proper school age he entered the public school near his home and by applying himself diligently to his books, supplemented later on by study at home, he succeeded in acquiring a better education than usually falls to the lot of a boy raised exclusively on the farm. As soon as he arrived at more mature years he gave his undivided attention to farm work and now that he has arrived at manhood's estate, he is a thorough-going practical farmer and delights in his work. The following letter will show that he, although young in years, is frequently given to reflections that evade the minds of much older farm hands: Kumry, Penna. To the Editor of Town and Country. Pennsburg, Pa. My Dear Sir: There are two very decided sides to farm life, one of which may be termed the hardships and the other the joys or pleasures incident to the occupation. The ordinary observer is very apt to take note of the latter while superficially glancing at farm life, but to totally overlook the former. Among hardships, I first of all wish to call the attention of the reader to the long days: The awaiting duties demand the farmer to rise at four o'clock in the morning, and there is no cessation from work till darkness ends the day. Such constant long days, devoted to such monotonous work like plowing or harrowing, prove a grind that would wear out the strongest constitution were it not for the pure, fresh, unadulterated air. Failure of crops and consequent poor returns for the laborous efforts made, are to be encountered year after year, as it invariably happens that some one of the crops is a failure. Such conditions are certainly not encouraging. Another of the hardships is the want of social intercourse. In almost all other pursuits people are constantly brought in contact with each other. They exchange ideas, discuss public issues and form social relations that last for life. The farmer, however, is isolated by his many duties and is apt to become wary of strangers, narrow minded in his ideas and selfish in all his actions. There is however another side to farm life that compensates for all the privations and hardships encountered. The joys and pleasures are manifold. First of all there is supreme independence both in thought and action, as there are no critics to interfere. There is a great satisfaction in feeling you are pursuing the noblest work on earth and that on your toil and success, the millions following other pursuits, depend for food. Nature in all its varied moods and humors can be watched during all seasons of the year. Spring with its myriads of birds singing their gladsome song, the budding and blossoming of the trees and the numberless wild flowers that bedeck the earth with their variegated colors, is followed by summer with its ripening grain and fruits, this in its turn is followed by Autumn with golden corn and the ever changing color of the forests and hedges, and this again is followed by Winter when the snowbedecked ground and the ice covered trees, sending forth glimmers as if encrusted with diamond, these are pleasures to be enjoyed only on the farm, and worth all the untold treasures of the mines of the earth to the appreciative and nature loving mind. Although toiling day after day for uncertain returns beyond a good living, whenever I think of my many happy days on the old farm I am reminded of the following rhyme that one day entered my thoughts while following the plow: While a boy I used to dwell in a home I loved so well, far away among the clover and the bees. Where the morning glory vine and the robin redbreast sang upon the tree. There were brothers young and gay and there was a father old and gray. A mother dear who shielded all from harm, where I spent life's golden hours running wild amongst the flowers. In my childhood's happy home, "down on the farm." Very Truly Yours, Robert E.P. MUMBAUER. KEELY HOTEL SOLD One of the best hotel stands in Montgomery county, the Keely House of East Greenville, was this week sold to Elias WERLEY, of Werley's Corner, Lehigh county, for $24,000. The transfer is to be made some time in fall and one of the sons of Mr. WERLEY will take possession and conduct the stand. Mr. KEELY has bought the lot at the corner of Main and Fifth streets, East Greenville, occupied by a frame house and a vacant lot adjoing the school house lot on the west, both formerly the property of Edgar A. KRAUSS. The frame house will be taken from its present position and rolled to the vacant lot and a handsome private residence will be built on the site vacated. TWO HEADED CHICKEN Samuel C. WASSER, of Elroy, this county, has a five week's old rooster chick that has two perfectly formed heads, they joining each other, giving the feathered curiosity quite a comical appearance. The fowl is creating a sensation, and large numbers of people gather at the house daily to inspect the infantile Democratic rallying bird. TEACHER RESIGNS Abram B. MENSCH, who has been serving as principal of the Skippack schools for a number of years has resigned and will quit teaching. He will turn his attention to his own farm and to that of his father, Rev. J.B. MENSCH. Mr. MENSCH taught school for a number of years and most of the time in Skippack township.