Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-10-31
SELECT TALE.
Uncle Ben's New Years Gift,
Or, What n Newspaper can do,


Portable farmer, residing some fifty miles from
Cincinnati, that I'll take little trip over to S.
to see how Peter is coming on
Il wish you would replied the farmers
wife, fine, hearty-lookng old woman, with
pleasant, intelligent countenance. Il wish
you would, Benjamin. There is not much to
do now at home and you can go away for
week, as well as not. 1t will be good op-
portunity to see the family, and Judge of things
a little from your own observation. Hannah
makes dreadful sour mouth whenever she
writes
8 know she does, and that's the reason why
thought of going over. There's something
wrong, depend ont. Something wrong
Than Peter, there isn't harder working or
more industrious man any where, I'll give him
credit for that. He ought to get along COM
fortably and lay up money. No one in the
State has finer piece of farm land; nor one
that, properly treated, ought to turn out more
to the acre.
And l can speak for Hannah said the old
lady. 4 raised her, and know that she hasn't
lazy bone in her body
= 1t isn't want of industry on either side,' re-
marked Benjamin Hicks, the defect lies some
where in want of management or in prof
liable disposition of what they make. Hand
work is all very well but it is often like row.
ing with one oar; there must be head-work to
make the boat shoot lightly forward. Yes, yes,
l must see them
1t was towards the latter part of December,
few days before Christmas, that the brief
conversation, here given, took place between
Benjamin Hicks and his wife. On Christmas
day, the old gentleman, true to his purpose,
arrived by the stage in S. Soon after
wards he entered the farm house of Peter Mil
Ter, which, neither within or without, present
ed an air of thrift or comfort.
A hearty welcome did Uncle Ben receive
from Peter and Hannah as also they did from
their children. OF the latter, there were four
living-three had died. The Oldest of these
was Ellen, girl in her sixteenth year; Hen
ry, just fourteen, came next. Between him and
Hannah bright, restless, noisy creature, sew
en- years old, there had been brother and sis
ter; but two small hillocks in the graveyard
near by, marked the spot. where their dust
was mingling with its kindred dust. A baby,
nearly two years of age, completed the house
hold treasures of Peter and Hannah Miller.
For few honrs after the old gentleman S
arrival, the pleasures felt at mis- coming BEAM
ed from every counenance. Peter was talka-
tive and cheerful, and Hannah's face was lii
up with constant succession of smiles. At
ter supper, however, when all the children
but Ellen were in bed-she sat up to help her
mother with the sewing of the family-and the
quiet of evening made the thoughts sober,
Peter grew silent, and Hannah, as she sat at
her work, now and then sighed involunta-
rily.
How are yon getting on now, Peter, asked
Mr.. Hicks, breaking in upon silence of sew
eral minutes.
Not so we'll as l could wish, Uncle Ben,'
replied Peter. He tried to affect cheerful
air, but the despondency that was in his heart
could not be disguised.
ed the old gentleman. You were always hon
est and industrious; and in the country, hon
est industry should rise by its own inherent
buoyancy.'
Peter works hard enough, dear knows
spoke up Hannah. We ought to get along.
If he goes on as he has been going on for the
last few years, he will certainly break himself
down.
That's bad said Uncle Ben, very bad
work, even hard work is better for the health
than ideness. Rust destroys more than fric-
tion. But over work is not good
That | already begin to feel, said Peter, Il
give out much quicker than did some years
ago.
Bad, bad returned Uncle Ben, shaking
his head. You're just in the prime of life,
Peter. At your age | could go through more
work without fatigue, that at any time be-
FORE
And what is worst of ALL sighed Peter. Il
don't seem to get in the least beforehanded. In
fact, for the last three or four years, have
found it impossible to make both ends meet
Yes, that is worst of all, Peter. I'm sorry
to hear YOU say that
Last WINTER resumed Peter, Il lost twenty
sheep, and two of the finest cows in the neigh
borhood.'
We've been very unlucky Uncle Ben,' said
Hannah, pausing in her work, and looking with
moistened eyes in the old genteman's face
very unlucky; and we're downright discour-
aged. don't know what is going to come of
us. Peter had to mortgage our farm this
year.
Mortgage! MORTGAGE The old man shook
his head and looked serious.
sWeI, bought from neighbor wagon
and pair of horses for hundred and sixty
dollars, promising to pay for them after harvest
But, crops were short and my bills at the store
great deal higher than expected. In fact
there had been no settlement for year, ant
it took my five hundred bushels of wheat ant
three hundred bushels of corn to make al
square,
Bless me" calculated the old man. 'Anc
SO nothing remained to live on until next har
.vestl'
Nothing
Uncle Ren shook his head co,nrr.ss.d II;