Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-12-24


Mr.. Somers. eff you take the land you
must keep it. Were you to sell it, my
creditors would say at once that you did
it for me, and that l pocketed the mon
ey."
Then am willing TO divide the hun
dred dollars with Peter, for if had the
land | should do nothing with IT,
90. you need not divide the money.
for can easily raise the hundred dol
lars on the land. My brother will do
that. But | imagined that you would
prefer the land, for | knew the soil was
good. though q1ite rocky. However,
what say you, Peter?'
why. will take the land" returned
Peter, "Or [ will div de equally with
Walter each of US to take half the mon
ey and half the land
But what should want with the
land?" said Waller: IL could not work
on it; I-I-should hardly like to de.
scend from clerkship 10 digging and
delving in blue frock and cow-h de
boots"
Then it is easily settled" r,joined
Peter. for l should prefer the land"
Waller was pleased with this. and be-
fore night he had The hundred dollar bill
in his pocket, and Peter had the warran-
tee deed Of the four acres of lanl upon
the hillside. Both the young men be-
longed in the village, and had always
lived there. 1t was only FIVE miles from
the city. and of course many city fash.
ions were prevalent there. Ii was under
the influence of this fashion that Waller
SiurgiS refused to have anything 10 do
with the land.
Times were dull, and business slack,
even though it was early spring. Peter
Whites first object, after having got the
deed of his land. was to hunt up some
kind of work. Had he been mechanic
he might have found place, but he
knew no trade except that of salesman
and book keeping. A whole week he
searched in vain for employment. but at
/ the end OF that time he found an old
fIrmer who wanted hand. though he
could not afford to pay much. But Pc
TER finally, and with the advice of Mr..
Somers. made an arran -ement of this
kind: He would work for III" old far
mer Mr.. S.even>. steadily until the
ground was open, and then he should
have half the lime to devote upon his
own land and in part payment for his
services, Stevens was to help about ali
the OK woik that the youth might need.
Next Peter went to the hotel, where
there was quite stable, and engaged
hundred loads OF manure, the landlord
promising 10 take his pay in produce
when harvest time came. So Peter
White put on blue frock and COW hide
boots, and went to work for larmer Ster
vens.
10 the meantime Waller Slurgis had
been to the city to try to find situation
in some store but he came back buotless.
He was surprised when be met Peter
driving an OK team through the village
At first he could hardly believe his own
eyes. Could it be possible thai that was
Peter White, in that blue frock, and
those boots? On the next day a relation
from the city came TO visit Walter. The
two walked out. and during The day
Walter saw Peter coming towards them
with his team. He was hauling lumber
which Mr.. Stevens had been getting out
during the winter. Walter .aw how
coarse aad humble his quondam clerk
mate looked, and he knew that Peler
woul hail him if they met; so he caught
his companion By the arm and lodged
into a by lane. Peter saw the move
ment and understood it, but he only
smiled.
By and by the snow was all gone from
The hillside The wintry garb was re-
moved from the spot some time before it
left other places. for Peters lot lay on
the southern slope of the hill, and thus
had all the advantages of the warm sun
all day without any of the cold north
and east winds. The youth found his
land very rocky. but none of the rocks
were permanent so his first move was
10 get off some of these obSiruclions, and
as Mr.. Stevens land was not yet clear
from snow, be was able TO give his
young workman considerable assistance.
They to"k Two yoke of oxen and two
1rsss. and went at it. and in Just FIVE
days every rock was at the foot of the
slope, and made into good stone wall. J
Peter then hauled on his hundred loads
Of manure, which he bad purchased for
seventy FIVE dollars. and part OF ii he
saved for top dressing.
Peter now worked early and late. and
much OF the time he had help. Mr.. Sie-
'ens was SUI Irised at the richness of the
oil, but there was reason tor il. At the
op Of The bill there was huge ledge,
md The rocks which encumbered the
hillside must, at some former period,
ave come tumbliDg down from the