Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-12-24
Sturgis opened his eyes in astonish,

i've uoliarS IN money SeVeniY-nVe O'
that went for manure but some of the
manure is now on hand. as l found the
land so rich last year as not TO need
much over halt Of it. This season | shall
have two hundred dollars worth of straw
berries. if nothing happens unusual"
And you don't have to work any
Writers to do this %
"NO, four months labor is about all |
can lay ont 10 advantage on it."
Waller went to his store, aad during
the rest of that evening he wondered
how it was that some folks had such
luck.
During the second season Peter had
experience for guide, and he filled up
many gaps that he had left open the
year before. His strawberries turned
out better than he had anticipated. and
he made better arrangement for his
melons. And then from all that land
whereon he planted his early peas. &C..
he obtained second crop of much val
ue. Ii was but an hours drive into the
city. and he always obtained the high, st
prices, for he brought the earliest vege
tables in The market.
On the first of the next November he
had cleared seven hundred dollars for
the season over and above all expenses.
One morning, after all the crops were
in, Peter found man walking over the
land, and as Peter came up, the stran-
ger asked him who owned the hillside.
ut Is mine, sir, replied Peter.
The man looked about. and then went
away and on the next day he came
again with two others. They looked
over the place. and they seemed to be
dividing it off into small lots. They re.
manned about an hour and then went
away.
Peter suspected that this land was
wanted fer something. That evening ne
stepped in al the post Office. and there
he heard that railroad was going TO be
put through the village as soon as the
wurkmen could be set at it.
On the next morning Peter went out
upon his land, and as he reached the
upper boundary and turned and looked
down, the truth flashed upon him. His
hillside had a gentle, easy slupe. and
the view from any part of it was delight
ful. A brook ran down through it. from
an exhaustlrss spring up in the ledge,
and the locality woald be cool and agree
able in the summer and warm in winter.
Al the foot Of the hill. to the left, lay
small lake, while the river ran IN sight
for several miles.
"Of course, soliloquized Peter, "lhey
think this would make beautiful building
spots. And wouldn't il? Curious that | /
never thought of it. And then when the !
railroad comes here, people from the city
will want their dwellings here. But this |
and is valuable II is worlh-let me
see-say six hundred dollars year. l
,an easily get eight or nine hundred for /
what can raise here, and | know that
.wo hundred will pay me good round
price for all that labor on it. And then
vi en- my peach trees grow up, and my
strawberry beds increase-Ho Its
more valuable to me than it could be to
my one else"
When Peter vent home he could not
esist the temptation to sit down and cal
:ulaIe how many house lots his land
would make; and he found that his hill
ide would afford City building spots,
With good garden to each one but he
lldn't think Of selling.
Two days afterwards, six men came
o look at the land, and after travelling
'ver it, and sticking up some stakes.
vent away.
That evening Peter went down to the
lotel, and the-6rst thing he heard was
"Aha. Pete, you've missed it,"
'How so?' asked Peter.
"Why, how much did you get for
our hill,ide ?"
what do you mean 9"
Haven't you sold it 90
"No, sir"
"Why, there was a man here looking
t II week or so ago. and to day he
anne and brought FIVE city merchants
nth him. and l can take my oath, that
ach one of them engaged building lot
him. One Of 'em spoke to me about
hat lovely spot it was; and 1 told him
obody would have thought of building
lere hll you got the rocks off. But
aven'I you sold it though 2"
mo. not an inch of it."
why. that man told me he had en-
aged to pay four hundred dollars for
hoice lot OF twelve square rods"
"rhen he will find his lot somewhere
Sc | guess, ill sell out"
Some more conversation was held, and
len Peter went home. On the follow
g forenoon. the very man who had
zen the first to come and look at the !
Illside, called to see Peter, introducing
mself as Mr.. Anderson.
"Let's see-I believe you own some