Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-05-01
:, .c From the Cincinnati Gazette.

From the Cincinnati Gazette.
NCL BEN'S NEW YEARS GIFT
OR WHAT A NEWSPAPER CAN Do
4 Think said old Benjamin Hicks, a
comfortable farmer some fifty miles from
CINCINNATI, that I'll take trip over te
$, ard see how Peter is coming on.
Il wish you would replied his wife,
There's not much to do just now, and you
can go for week as well as not. twill
be good opportunity to see the family
and judge OF things from your own obser.
walton. Hannah makes dreadful sou,
mouth whenever she writes.'
! 4 know she does, and that's why
thought of going. There's something
wrong depend ont. Something wrong
! Than Peter there isn't a harder working
man anywhere. III give him credit for
that. lie ought TO get along comfortably
and lay up money. No one has finer
piece of farm land, nor one that ought "a
turn out more to the acre.
/ And can speak sor Hannah said the
old lady. i raised her, and she hasn't a
lazy bone in her body
1T isn't twant ofindustry on either side,
remarked Benjamin. The defect lies in
want Of management, or the profitable
disposition Of what they make. Hand
work is all very we'll, there mnst be a
| head work TO make the boat shoot lightly
forward. Yes-yes must see them
| 1t was few day before Christmas, tha,
this brief conversation took place. On
Christmas day, the old gentleman arrived
| by the stage in s.. He entered the
/ farm house of Peter Miller which, neither
within or without, presented an air Of thrift,
or comfort.
A hearty welcome did Uncle Ben re-
ceive from Peter aud Hannah, and the chill.
dren. Ofthe latter, there were four lv.
ing-three had died. The oldest was FL
len, girl in her 10Th year, Henry, Just
! Ia, came next. Between him and Hannah
a bright noisy C, ea,ure, years old, there
had been brother and sister; but tive
small hillocks in the graveyard near by
marked the spo, where the dust was min.
| gled with its kindred dust. A baby,
years old, completed the household treas.
ures.
The pleasure fel, al his coming beamcd
from every countenance. Peter was talk
ative and cheerful, and Hannah's face was
! lit up with constant succession Of smiles
After supper however, and the quiet OF the
evening made the thought sober, Peter
grew silent and Hannah now aud then SIGH.
ed involuntarily.
'Elow are you getting on now Peter p
asked MIR Hicks. Not so well as could
wish, Uncle Ben,' replied Peter.
| I'm sorry to hear you say that. You
were always honest and industrious and
in the country, honest industry should
rise by its own inherent buoyancy.'
Peter works hard enough, dear knows..'
spoke up Hannah. We ought 10 ge,
aiong. If he goes Oh as he has been Tor
the last few years, he will break himself
/ down.
! That's bad, said Uncle Ben, svery bad
work, even hard work, is better for the
health than idleness. Rust DESTROYS more
than friction. But over work is no. good.
That already begin to feel said Pc
ter. i give ont much quicker than / did
4 some years ago.
! Bad, bad!' returned Uncle Ben, shak
/ ing his head. You're Just in the prime
Of life, Peter at your age could 60 thro'
more work without fatigue, than at any
time before
And what is worst Of ALL sighed Pc
ter, i don't seem TO gain in the least be-
fore hand. In Tact for the last three or
four years, have found i, impossible to
make both ends meet
Yes, that is worst Of all, Peter. Tn
! sorry to hear you say that.'-.I.as, win
ter, resumed Peter, los, 20 sheep and
fine cows
We've been very unlucky, Uncle Ben,
said Hannah, 'anl we're downright dis
couraged. Peter hadto mortgage the far m
this year.
Mortgage! mortgage!' The old man
shook his head and looked serious.
'There was no help for it uncle, said
Peter. il was mortgage or be sued
How came you to get in debt p
well, bought wagon and pair OF
horses for $Sl6O, crops were short, and my
bills at the store higher than | expected.
In fact, there had been no settlement for a
year, and it took my 500 bushels of wheat
and 300 bushels of corn to make all
square. Bless me, calculated the old
man--and was silent for some moments.
'Wha, did you get for.your wheat p he
at length asked. 5S cents. > 6S no,
5S.'--'ion didn't sell for that snrely.'-
sYes. 1t was all Gray s. Elder would al
low me. = '5S cents! Well, that beats all!
And did you s.i! your 500 bushels at that
price!'-'Yes.' While ] received 6S cents
for mine!'-'You did:'--Certainly did.
So you lost just $50 on your wheat.
80 dollars! How many comforts so
dollars would buy!' said Hannah, letting
her work fall in her lap as jestur, Of
despondency.
And what price did you get for your
corn ?'-.25 CENTS. Mine brought 80.
Just cents difference. How many bush
els had you'll sold 3OO.'
AT loss Of $2l. ST. loss on your
wheat and corn. / don't much wonder
that you can't get along. II requires two
things 10 make successful farmer In.
tellieence in agricultural matters, to make
the ground produce freely, and that knowl-
edge in regard to the produce market nec-
essary TO insure sales at the best price