Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-09-10
smart Wisconsin Girls.

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In our rambles "Up the Chippewa"
few days ago, we chanced upon dusky,
brown-faced girl, .plowing out twenty
acre cornfeld. She was rugged in a snuff.
color "bloomer," with straw hat and
good, honest number seven boots. There
was no sham about her. She was evil
IDENTIFY all girl, and working with a will.
She had been in the field since early
morning, taking long strides behind
spirited horse, with the lines thrown
across her shoulder, and both hands firm
ly at the plow. 1t was just "good fun,"
she said to take care of twenty acres,
and away she strobe through long rows
turning corners, kicking over sods, and
never thought of rest or "whoa," till
the dinner horn sounded across the fieid.
On inquiry, we learned that our corn
field heroine was one of two New Hamp-
shire girls who emigrated with their par
ents to Eau Claire, some dozen years ago.
They had little means, but were Of good
working stock. They bargained for a
quarter section of wild land and set
about making farm. There were no
boys in the family. The girls were young,
bright, healthy, and full of pluck and
vigor. Their mother dressed them in
bloomers, and gave them their choice in
doors or out. From the start they took
the place of boys; they were not afraid
of dust or sunshine; they never COM
planned; they never tired out; they sell
dom missed day from the fields through
the seasons, from earliest spring to latest
autumn. As they grew older they grew
tough and wiry, were alike ready at
handling teams, breaking colts, building
bridges, opening roads, fording creeks.
clearing meadows, loading hay, binding
grain, or mounting hay stacki! In
good seasons they cut eighty tons of hay
and eighty acres of grain. In rainy
seasons, they had to bring out their hay
"by hand" carrying it on poles, knee
deep through sloughs and marshes. In
winter they attended school, and took
care of sixty head of cattle, drawing
hay from the swamp in the coldest
weather. They hired no help except at
harvesting. They did their own trading
and marketing, and could never be out
witted by any of the store chaps at Eau
Claire.
The girls are now eighteen and twenty
years of age, and have done more farm
work than any two boys in the country.
Their father, beginning with nothing is
now rich, with broad fields and thou
sands of ready stamps, mostly achieved
through the grit and energy of his daugh-
| ters.
During the present season the girls
have "let up" little on their outdoor
accomplishments, Iand are only cultiva-
ing twenty acres of corn, for their own
amusement. They have built them a
spacious residence. They attend balls
and parties, go a trouting, drive their
own team, and occasionally give the boys
a chance to show their spunk and gallant
ry. Of course such girls are objects of
excitement and interest in their neigh
borhood. They are looked upon as
"capital prizes" and young fellows are
ready to break their necks for them.
They are now right in their freshest
bloom, with thoughts of love and ro-
nance beginning to steal about the back
of their necks and brains; and what
may seem as strange, they are neither
coarse or masculine in appearance; they
are simply round, trim, sprightly. full
breasted girls, with resolution in their
eye, and plenty of good sense in their
heads. Ml,caukie Wisconsin.