Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-04-08


his four acres; but not with the hand
hoe. He got some kind Of jimcrack
las the old man termed it), hitched TO
tho old mares heels, instead of hoclng
his potatoes man fashion. he'd begun
with his improvements; but that cult.
rator, aslBen called it, wouldn't work
no how.' .rI..ae
Ben continued tho use Of the cultiva-
tor however; the old gentleman con-
tinued to grumblc, and the corn and po-
tatoes continued to flourish.
Ben Smith had gone over to neigh.
boring town early in the Spring, and
run in debt, (Ben was the first Smith
that ever did this thing for two hun
dred bushels of 'hasty ashes,' which he
tugged the cattle to draw to the farm
and with which he top dressed the
meadow. Here was an innovation sure.
And he had subscribed for an agricultu.
raj weekly too, what with his jimcrack
of cullivator, his ashes aud book far.
ming the old gentleman was nearly cra-
zed. 1t would never do to go on at
this rate, said the old gentleman.
But the four acres of corn and pota-
toes and vegetables still grew finely
Never had the Smiths seen such corn,
such potatoes and carrots. The grass
came up thick and strong and thrifty,
and the harvest time came round at
last.
The cattle had plenty Of good feed,
and they were fat and sleek; the pigs
were fat, the poultry was fat, the old
horse was fat, and Ben grew fat and jol-
ly as he garnered his high corn, his big
potatoes, his generous sized bee,s, and
his grea. bright yellow carrots. Ben
had found time during his evenings to
read the agricultural articles in his
newspaper, and to post himself i'll re-
gard to the markets.
Winter came. The good old father
entered the barn. 1t was crammed
with hay and corn stalks aud wheat and
rye. The granary was loaded with
corn, and Ben, who had been carefully
taught to she'll the cobs across the edge
of the shovel, now stood beside another
stupid 'mersheen,' throwing in bush
el Of ears at the top, while the big gold
en- kernels rushed out in constant
shower at the bottom. Ben Smith had
ssquandered' six dollars lin cash) upon
a corn.sheller! All, 'what is the silly
boy coming to- exclaimed the venera.
ble progenitor, as he sighed and turned
to the barn again.
The old man examined the harvest.
ing. There was more hay in the mows
than ever before. The corn had turn
ed out grandly. There was everything
in prolusion, and only half the eight
acres had been titled! Ben pointed to
this gratifying result, and his father on
" shook his head, and said, Ben, you
have been lucky; ace'ue lad remarka-
ble season. Things have growed finely;
A very forward season, Ben, very
Ben Smith, Junior, only smiled at
this. He continued to read his paper,
subscribed for another! paid for both,
4 (ah, what extravagance,) and winter
passed glibly away.
He killed off the old razor.backed
prunters that had been bred upon the
ancient farm from time immemorial, and
bought six improved Suifolks-instead
Of the three alligators that had Previ'
ously been annually tolerated on the
Smith place.
The superanuatcd cows, with the
crumpled horns were turned into beet
and a brace of shining North Devons
supplied their places. A snbsoil plow
found its way into the yard one morn:
ing early in the spring, and a. new IAN
pled harrow followed this. Then came
a new patent charn, then capital straw
cutter, then more 'hasty ashes,' then a
seed drill-and there was no end,
4 Isaid Ben, Senior,) TO the internal ma.
sheens that Ben Junior cluttered up the
place With ''-
Ben had been no idler, meantime
He had drawn into the cow.yard two
hundred loads of pond muck the Previ:
Gus fall. Ie got plaster and crushed
homes and mixed with it, and when Feb.
ruary came it was heaped out gener-
ously upon four acres again. Every
thing went on awimmingly, and at hay.
ing time the cap sheaf' of machinery
arrived -.
What on earth is that 2 asked the
old tsntlemon, as Ben put his team be,
fore new horse.rake. Ben laughed
outright, and asked his respected dad
why lie didn't read the papers! But
his lalher said he had no occasion, he
knew enough'
Arain tho old barns creaked under
their generous harvest ofhay, and grain
and Vegetables, and again the old mar
looked on and sighed, and declared thai
the season had been remarkable, vory!
Ben hadn't room to stow away two
thirds of his years produce! But hi
4 hay was excellent, his potatoes were no
y -: ,.o,s and heets nnl on