Delaware State journal and statesman., 1869-08-27
GFrom the Evening Wisconsin. Aug II.
THE BLOOMER GIRLS.


What a Couple of Brave Wisconsin Girls
Have Done up the Chippewn1,;iHH , ,..,,nsS InSy
Clear Meadows, and do more Rougn
work than any tive ESys IN ,ns ,4;,,Ce.I SSMn'TS
In our ambles "Up the Chippewa few
days ago, we chanced upon husky, brown
faced girl ploughing out twenty acre lot.
She was rigped in a snuff colored "boomer,
with a straw hat, and good, honest number
seven boots. There was no sham about her.
She was evidently all girl, and working with
a will. She had been in the field since early
morning, taking long strides behind split
cd horse, with the lines thrown across her
shoulder, and both hands firmly at the
plow. 1t was just good fun, :" said she, to
take care of twenty acres, and away she
strobe through the long rows turning cor
ners, kicking over sods, and never thought
of rest or "whoa" till the dinner horn SCUM
ded across the field.
On inquiry, we learned that our cornfield
heroine was one Of two New Hampshire
girls, who migrated with their parents to
Eau Claire, some dozen years ago. They
had little means, but were of good working
stock. They bargained for 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
oil pluck and vigor. Their mother dressed
them in boomers and gave them their
choice in doors or out. From the start they
took the place of boys; they were not afraid
of dust and sunshine; they never complained;
they never tired out; they seldom missed a
day from the fields through all the seasons,
from earliest spiing to latest autumn. As
they grew older, they grew touch and wirY,
and were alike ready at handling teams,
breaking colts, building bridses, opening
roads, fording creeks, clearing meadows,
loading hay, binding grain, Or mounting a
straw stack. In good seasons they cut eighty
tons of hay and eighty acres Of gram In
rainy seasons they had to bring out their
hay by hand, carrying il on poles, ee-deep
through sloughs and marshes. In winter
they attended school, and took care oil sixty
head of cattle, drawing hay from the swamps
in the coolest weather. They hired no help,
except In harvesting. They did their own
trading and marketing, and could never be
outwitted by any of the store chaps at Eau
| Claire.
The girls are now 18 and 20 years of age,
and have done more farming than any two
boys IN the county. Their father, beginning
with nothing, is now rich, with road fields,
and thousands of ready stamps, mostly
achieved through the git and energy of his
daughters.
During the present season the eitls have
"let up' little on their outdoor accom-
plishments, and are only culnvathg twenty
acres of corn for their own amusement.
They have built them a spacious residence.
They attend balls and parties, go tronlng,
drive their own teams. and occasionally
give the boys chance to show their spunk
and gallantry. OF course such girls are oh
iects OF excitement and interest in their
nelghborhood. They are looked upon as
"capial prizes" and young fellows are
ready to break their necks for them. They
are now in their freshest bloom, with
! thoughts of love and romance beginning TO
! steal about the back of neck and BRAINS, and
| what may seem as strange, they are neither
coarse nor masculine in appearance; they
are simply round, tim, sprightly, full
breasted girls, with resolution in their eye,
md plenty OF good sense in their heads.
1t may be interesting TO female politicians
to know that these Chippewa Valley girls
never whine or declalm about their "rights"
or ''posilons. They saw rough work 10 be
homework most needed in our Western
country-and asking odds of nobody, they
went in bravely on Iluir muscle aud dld it,.
They have made no noise about ii. They
have not cackled at conventions. They
have never sat with Miss Anthony or Lucy
Stone Blackwell. They have fairly won a
much higher scat among the queens of
American industry.