Weekly New Oregon plain dealer. (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1866-1867, 1866-10-05
s6IiIOQlIy Of ia Poor Farmer.
BY "BRICK' pOMEROY.

| BY 'BRlCk POMEKOY.
"Beautiful!"
"Whoa!"
Let us stop here and rest unde,
the shade of this tree, for the old
horse is tired. Isn't this a beauti
full house-just in the edge of the
city. The grounds are clean, anC
the grass is kept like the face of a
new shaven man. And look you,
Maggie, how thrifty the trees are.
And how many flowers there are
about the yard.
Let us stand up in the wagon
tho horso it ,ven't ete,t, fuA IL 10 ooo
pvor anu tired to run. Hunk at the
roses and verbenas and the cvel-
greens and the dahlias, and the
fruit trees and statuary, and the
nicely graveled walks, and the broad
steps, and the double blinds, and the
mating before the door, and the
fancy stained glass by the side, and
the silver bell pull and the rosewood
door. And, oh look, what a fine
| team, and what a bright pretty car
riage. And how sleek the horses
look. And how gay the driver is,
with his uniform on. | tell you,
Maggie, that man is rich.
All, here he comes. Stand upon
the seat of the wagon, Maggie. 1t
is an old seat-covercd with an old
blanket-but it will hold you. I
can see down here. He comes out
of the house. Here comes his wife
Amt they dressed nice. Aud here
comes their son and daughter on
horseback.
They are going out for a morning
ride. All. They have started.
See how the horses dance down the
drive to the road-and see how
quick that little boy runs to open
the gate.
"Thot are arc rating fo,?@
Please sir, we were looking and
didn't know but you would like to
buy some butter, eggs, vegetables;
chickens, berries, flowers or some
thing of that sort.
"HoUe on"
All right. Sit down Maggie.
We will go to market. We can't
sell anything except at market, fer
we have no license. We could get
more for each load of produce to
pcddle it out, it's against the law,
50 we'll sell for what folks will give
us who have license to sell.
"Whyis tAisr
All Maggie, I don't know. |
Hish | did.
Phew. how the dust flies in
my eyes as Mr., Bond, for that is
his name, aashcs by with his happy
family. I spose its cause we're
| peer You know, Maggie, l went
to war five years ago. Then 1 own
ed fifty acres of land on the creek,
and there wasn't dollar to pay on
lit. I went to save the Union. Mr..
Bond paid me two hundred dollars
to take his place, and 60 to war.
l went you know, Maggie, how you
cried when l went-but like brave
woman that you are, you dried
your tears, filled my pockets with
pins, needles and thread-my eyes
with tcars-my mouth with kisses,
so l could not speak, and told me
to 60 and earn the two hundred dol
lars and to keep out of temptation,
and to come back. And then,
Maggie, you ran into our little bed
room where Johnny and little Mag
gle were born, and hid yourself
and cried, so I could not see you
when we all went marching by.
"Don't talk so?"
But, Maggie, was thinking.
And you know had two good arms,
And used to hold you in them, Mag
gie-to hold you to my honest heart,
and say God bless you, darling!
And you used to sleep in them hap
py and cor.ented.
} we.nt to war. l was in terri.
ible battle. It was terrible fight
my General blundered as usual
How any of us came out alive non.
but God knows. l left an arm
there. Maggie-I brought the sor'
o stump home to you. And what dit
1 find? Little Johnny was dead
; little Maggie was dead. My poo
:, brother whose leg was shot off Will
J.. under orders confscating cotton 70