The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-08-06
BIDDEFoRD, ME-, FRIDAY

winter he worked for Mr.. Stevens ut get
ting out lumber. for twenty-five dollars
per month; and when spring came he was
ready TO 60 ON to his land again.
In the meantime, Walter Sturgis had
worked q year at n fashionable calling for
three hundred dollars, and ut the end oi
the term he was the absolute owner oi
Just two dollars.
Say, Peter, you aren't going to work
on that land Of yours another season, are
youp" asked Walter, ms the two met In the
street one evening.
ITO be sure am" was the response.
"But here's Simon wants q clerk, and
told him guessed you would be glad to
come"
"What will he pay?"
"Three hundred"
"Ah, Walter, l can make more than
that from my land"
Sturgis opened his eyes in astonish-
ment.
you're joking" he said.
mo, sir. received five hundred dol
lars in money last season. Seventy-fve
of that went for manure last season; but
some of that manure Is now on hand, rs /
found the land so rich last year rs not to
need much more than half of 1t. This sea-
son l shall have two hundred dollars
worth of strawberries, If nothing happens
unusual"
"And you don't have to work any win
ters to do this?"
"No; four months labor is about all ]
can lay out to advantage on It."
Walter went to his store, and during
the rest of the evening he wondered how
1t was that some folks had so much luck.
During the second season Peter had cx-
perience for q guide. and he filed up
many gaps that he left open the year be-
fore. His strawberries turned out better
than he anticipated, and he made better
arrangement for his melons. And then
from all that land whereon he planted his
early peas, etc. he obtained q crop OF
much value. 1t was but one hours drive
into the city, and he always obtained the
highest prices, for he brought the earliest
vegetables 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 the crops were in,
Peter found man walking about the land,
rs the young man came up the stranger
asked him who owned the hillside.
ats 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 II
off into small lots. They remained about
an hour, and then went away. Peter
suspected the land was wanted for some.
thing. That evening he stepped into the
Post-oilice, and there he heard that a rail.
road was going to be put through the vii.
lage rs soon rs the workmen could be sci
ut 1t.
On the next morning Peter went out on
his land, and as he reached the upper
boundary and turned and looked down.
the truth flashed upon him. His hillside
had gentle. easy slope, and the vicw
from. any part of 1t was delightful. A
brook ran down through 1t, from an ex.
haustless spring up in the ledge, and the
locality would be cool and agreeable In
summer and warm in winter. At the foot
of the hill, on the left, lay q small lake,
while the river lay in sight for several
miles.
"Of course" soliloquised Peter, "thcy
think this would make beautiful building
lots. And wouldn't il? Curious that ]
never thought of II before. And then when
the railroad comes here, people from the
city will want their dwellings here. But
this land is valuable. II Is worth-let me
see-say six hundred dollars year. lean
easily get eight or nine hundred dollars
for what can raise here, and know that
two hundred will pay me good round
price for the labor / perform on 1t. And
then when my peach trees grow up, and
my strawberry beds increase-Ho-it's
more valuable to me than II can be to any
one else"
When Peter went home, he could not
resist the temptation to sit down and cal.
culate how many house-lots his land would
make. and he found that the hill side
would afford fifty building lots with good
garden to each one. But he didn't think
of selling.
Two days afterwards, six men came to
look at the land. After travelling over 1t,
and after sticking up some stakes, they
went away. That evening Peter went to
the hotel, and the first thing he heard
was:
"Aha, Peter, you've missed it."
"How SOP" asked Peter.
why, how much did you get for your
hill side?"
"What do you meanpn
Haven't you sold it?"
"No sir"
"Why, there was man here looking
at II week or so ago, and to-day he came
and brought five city merchants with him,
and / can take my oath that each one of
them engaged building lot of him. One
Of 'em spoke to me about what lovely
spot 1t was; and l told him nobody would
think Of building there till you got tho
rocks off. But haven't you sold 1t tho'?'
mo, not an inch of It."
"Why, that man told me he had en-
gagged to pay four hundred dollars for n
choice lot of twelve square rods"
"Then no will find his lot somewhere
else, guess, till l sell out"
Some more conversation was held. and
then Peter went home. On the following
forenoon, the very man who had been the
first TO come and look ut the hillside, called
to see Peter, and introduced himself rs
Mr.. Anderson.
"Let's see-I believe you own some two
or three acres of land up here on the hill
side." he said, very carelessly.
81 own four acres there" replied Peter,
very exactly.
"Ah. yes-well; 1t doesn't make much
difference. / didn't notice how much there
was! l thought l should like to build
there; If you would sell the land reason.
able, might like to purchase. 1t would
be enough to afford me quite garden;
though l suppose II would cost about rs
much to till such land as the product would
be WORTH"
THAT would depend upon how you
worked IT," said Peter, dryly.
20, yes, l suppose so. But are willing
TO sell out, 1 suppose"
Certainly
The mans face began to brighten.