The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-02-17
FT"a FF'f1Hf N'TrdI VIZ Na1f
Artemus Wards Experience as {
Earmnr ~.

Farmer. 3"
The BaSclay County Agricultural SOcie-
~ having seriously invited the author Of
this volume to ADDRESS them on the occa.
sion OF their next annual fair, he wrote 20
the president Of that society as follows
NV ioEG. JrXr -, lsGj.
IIedr Sir:-l have the honor 10 acknowl-
edge the receipt ofyour letter OF the 9th in.
stani. IN which you invite ine 10 deliver an
address before your excellent Agricultural
Society.
feel llattcred. and think will come.
Perhaps, meantime. a brief history Of my
experience as All agriculturist will be nc.
crptablc. and as that history no doubt con.
tains suggestions Of value TO the entire agri.
cultural community. ! have concluded TO
wiitc Ju through :he press.
! have been an honest old farmer for
some four wears.
Ny farm is in the interior Of Maine
Unfortunately my lands are eleven miles
from the railroad. Eleven miles is quite
distance to haul immense quantities of
wheat, corn. rye. and oats. but as haven't
any to haul, do not after all sutIcr much
on that account.
Ny idrm ls more especially grass farm.
Ny ncighbOrs told me so at first, aud. as
an evidence that they were sincere in that
opinion. they turned their cows on TO il the
moment went OF lcciuriug'
These cows are now quite fat take
pride in these cows in fact, and am glad |
own q grass farm.
Two years ago tried sheep rAising.
bought hIty lambs, and turned them
loose on my broad aud beautiful acres.
II was pleasant on bright mornings 10
stroll leisurely out 10 the farm in my dress.
~. gown. with cigar in my mouth. and
watch those innocent little lambs rs they
danced gay ly DER the hillside. Watching
| their saucy capers reminded me of caper
sauce. and il occurred to me that | should
have some very fine eating when they grow
up 10 he muttons."
Ny gentle shepherd, Mr.. Eli Perkins.
sald. We must have some shepherd dogs.
had no very precise idea as to what
shepherd dogs were, but ] assumed rath.
or profound look. and said
We must. Eli. ] spoke TO you abont
this some time ago
wrote 10 my old friend. Mr.. Dexter II.
Follet Of Boston. for two shepherd dogs
Mr.. Follct is an honest old farmer himself.
but thought he knew about shepherd dogs
lie kindly lorsook far more important bust
ness 10 accommodate, and the dogs came
-snun-cUlored. hazel.eyed. long.tail. and
shapcly .jawed.
We led them proudly TO the fields.
Turn them in, Eli said. Eli turDed
them in They went in at once. and killed
twenty Of my best lambs in about four min.
uies aud half My friend had made somc
trilling mistake in the breed Of these dogs.
These dogs were not partial TO sheep.
Eli Perkins was astonished. and exclaim
ed Wall. did YOU ever ="
certainly never had. There were pools
OF blood on the green sward, aud frag.
ments of wool and raw lamb chops lay
around in confused heaps.
The dogs would have been sent TO Bos.
ton that night. had they not rather sudden.
~ died that afternoon Of a throat dlstem.
per II wasn't u swelling OF the throat, il
wasn't dipthera. II was n violent open.
ing Of the throat from ear TO ear
Thus closed their lfe.stories. Thus Gu.
dcd their interesting tails.
failed as u raiser Of lambs. AS q sheep.
ist Was not n success.
Last summer. Mr.. Perkins said " think
we'd better cut some grass this season. sir"
We cut some grass.
10 mc the new mown hay is very sweet
aud nicc. The brilliant George Arnold
sings about II 10 boautiial verse down in
.lcrsy every summer so does tho brilliant
Aldrich. at Portsmouth, New llampshirc.
And yet doubt il either Of these men know
the price ola toh OF hay to-day. But new.
mOwn hay is a fine thing. II IL good for
either man or beast.
We hired four honest farmers TO assist
us. aud We led them gayly 10 the meadows.
was going TO NOW myself.
! saw the sturdy peasants go round once
ere dipped my flashing scythc into the
tall green grass.
Are you Hsady y said r. Perkins.
am here ~
" Then follow Us :" I followed them
/ Followed them rather too closely, evident.
! ly, for white.haired old man, who imme.
dately followed Mr. Perkins, called upon
us 10 halt. Then in low, firm voice he
said 10 his son. who was Just ahead Of inc,
John, change places with me, hain't got
long to live anyhow. Yondcr berryin'
ground will soon have these old bones, and
its no matter whether I'm carried there
with one leg Of aud terrible gashes in the
other or not. But you, John-you are
| young
The Oldham changed places with bis son,
aud a calm smile OF resignation lit up his
wrinkled face, as he said.
Now, air. am ready !"
what mean you, old man Z said.
al mean that ifyou contlnner 70 bran'ish
| that blade as you have been bran'lshing II,
you will slash h--out Of some ofus before
we're a hour older I"
There was some reason mingled with this
white.haired old peasants profanity. IL
was true that i had twice escaped moving
on bis sons legs. dhls father was perhaps
NATURALLY alarmed. fa ~.
went down and sal under tree. I
never know'd literary man IN ny hIe. :.
overheard the old man ssy, Hihst kneHd
any thing"