The Stone - The Stone*

Hone yourself a sharp mental edge

Lest politicians ply their wares.

Silent with skill they drive a wedge

Dividing life into cares and fears.

"Care, yes care, I care for you."

Tongue cheeked message driven,

Script weak, thin, seen clear through.

Be self driven, fall not to speeches given.

"Fear, not me , fear the other guy."

"Believe me , I am not conceited."

Through lips drawn tight of teethe sly,

Bravado loud, dishonest call repeated.

Stone*, the stone apply it often

When mind at rest in dullness creeps.

In apathy's folly the robber's hidden,

Citizens engaged, informed, America seeks.

The stone, the stone apply it often,

Hone yourself a sharp mental edge. 

         Ronald C . Downie 

One of the more important tools of early America was a unique looking device, a household need and especially a farmstead requirement, it was the four foot, curved handle scythe. The scythe was the premier grass, weed, grain, and hay cutting tool with about a three foot long curved metal cutting blade about three inches wide with a sharpened leading edge. Keeping the edge sharp was accomplished by a stone*, a graphite abrasive stone stick six inches long, held in one hand at an angle to the cutting edge and vigorously run back and forth to sharpen the blade's edge. Scythes were very efficient when properly used and craftily sharpened. The stone was the key to making the scythe work so well and it allowed early America's life to be more livable.