Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-04-13

NnucIsllleus anu put IN UtaUH ttnnha WIZ
set drawing lumber, and lme and stone and
sand, and brick. Went into the woods and
chopped, and scored, and hewed the oxen
hauled it down the whole lawn was covered
with the long, smooth sticks. A foolish
neighbor thought we were ''going to build a
village " but my head. carpenter soon showed
him that he "didn't know quite so much as
he thought he did"
All me were not those rare times Was
it not delightful to work on farm TO build
ones own house to sit down among the
clean chips in the shady grove, and take our
luncheon from the great basket: What a
scrambling for the best blocks and slabs. on
which to sit and place our food iack-kniyes
were at premium. And then the sound Of
the horn winding and cchoing along the hills 8;
the dropping Of sharp bright axes the walk
through the fields the hearty meal; the
song, the scufIlos All yes;
Farmers life is The life. my boys
The life. my boys, the life my boys
farmer IS life, and farmers wife,
Free from care and free from strife,
With plenty ofgirls and plenty Il boys
You get all the JOYS without all the noise
Of the world llurrah Hurrah
Hurrah ur life on the farm
have a slight impression that that song
was sung several times by the wood-choppcrs
and myself that season, and it seemed to be
very pleasant out in the deep woods. some
times thought the trees would tumble down
when we got into the chorus, but they didn't.
On the first Of November the whole affair
was finished; and the boys celebrated that
event by getting all the girls in the neigh
borhood together and "raking it down to
the time Of two violins. | had never seen
"rcal dancing" before; the whole earth shook
under the vigorous shufiling "of the light fan
tastic toe :" but the carpenters assured me
the out-buildings were safe, and would stand.
During the early part Of the evening lost
the extremities Of my best coat, at 'catch me
who can = they parted just at the waist and
so great was the tramping Of feet that ! did
did not discover the loss until had gone sew
cra times round the ring, and gaining on my
fair pursuor, came up behind and saw the
black flags waving over her head. French
broadcloth stood below par at that market
but then | saw many pleasant faces looking al
me during the rest Of the night.
Ny tenant next morning informed me hC
had cleared by the operation seven dollars
and fourteen cents, and that he considered
"a fuddle' "a good institution especially Il
''every thing was done up to the handle. -
Settled with carpenters, masons, laborers
tradesmen, etc, etc, and found by careful es-
timaton that l was out Of pocket just nine
hundred and thirty-one dollars and one cent
all told. The head carpenter could not be
lieve it = said "there must be a mistake"
thought very likely, for bank accounts arc
usually incorrect, and addition sis a hard roaC
/ to travel believe"
That fall we put up quite a string of fonc,
}. . lr,,lnJ ll ,
neat and substantial Purchased hay, grain
etc, Of my tenan; and by calling tho las
years rent fifty dollars, be agreed to vacat
the premises. Hired a man to take charge o
the farm went home was married shipped
all kinds Of furniture and curious things bio
good by to our friends, and was off to oui
new home.
We arrived on the fifteenth Of December
There had been fall of snow, and we cam'
up from the village in an open sleigh Tn,
day was lovely the air delicious and hoy
beautiful the hills looked Millions Of frost.
gems flashed from the trees f; and what mag
nifoent prospect from the lawn "Was i
not a truly delightful spot - land how glo
rious it must be in summer
We were very busy and very happy in ar
ranging our furniture, books, pictures, etc.
My man had filed the cellar with fruit ant
vegetables. hauled up the winters wood, anC
put up the stoves.
Every body called on us, and we returned
every body's call We congratulated our
selves many times on our pleasant home and
bright prospects for the future. was adyis
ed to 90 into the dairy business, as easy, plea
SAINT, and very profitable. My Heighbor-pi
GUS and estimable citizen-came up one dal
and informed me that he was going out Of tn,
business his land needed ploughing; h,
had fifty cows, and proposed selling one-hal
Of the best to me would work off the rest t,
drovers etc. ! went down and looked at the
I animals selected some of the fnest-looking
but was told they were nearly worthless fo
milk--he didn't wish to- take advantage o
me. agreed to let him pick me ont twenty
four of the choice cows, and paid for then
''according' Drove the cows home hearC
a few days after that my neighbor had chang
ed his mind about ploughing up; wouldn'
/ sell any more cows, but would buy to replac,
those sold and ''run his dairy another sea
SON" The individual smiled when he tolC
me probably he was pleased at tho grea
amount of butter and cheese | should max,
from my animals.
My man told me he feared there was hard
ly hay enough for stock told him to feed
carefully, and see that nothing was wasted
Occasionally looked at my stock noticed
them particularly in the spring, Never saw
greater number of ribs in one collection
never Was perfectly satisfied that nothing
had been wasted in the shape of fodder
Commenced feeding grain was called away
and was absent several days. Attended coun
ty court came back and found twenty yer,
small cows and oxen shut up together in ont
Of the empty barns, They were crying mos
piteously, and my whole dairy, sympathizinl
with them, "brayed horrible discord -
Attentive TO their cry my lAb'rer paused
And turned to me his ysage, and then spake -
Learned that the miniature animals had haC
no food for the last two days expostulate'
with him ioI such barbarity, and was tol'
that this was the course pursued by the hes
dalrymen to obtain a good "ruunet." Wha
in the deuce was hatl 1t was explained
towards evening made some remarks to wife
on the sutierings of the animal creation /,
general, and of ours in particular. She be
came very much excited said it was a 'burn
ing shame - that the "poor little darlings'
should be fed and FASTENED to the barn tC
give orders and see them oheyed finished
shaving and followed after, Met wife return
ing, and weeping bitterly. | couldn't discov
er for some time what it was oil about bu
at length gathered between the sobs tina