Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-09-08
A Pair of BIOOmer Girls in Wisconsin.

In our rambles up the Chippewa, in
| Northern Wisconsin, n few days ago,
we chanced upon a brown-faced girl,
blowing out twenty-acre corn field.
She was rugged in a snuff-colored
"bloomer," with straw hat, and good
! honest number seven boots. She had
been in the field since early morning.
taking long strides after a spirited
horse, with the lines thrown across
her shoulder, and both hands firmly
at the pillow, 1t was just ''good fun,h
she said, to take care of twenty acres.
and away she strobe through the long
rOws-turning corners, kicking over
sods and never thought of rest or
"whoa," until the dinner-horn sound
ed across the field. On enquiry, we
found that our corn-field heroine was
one of two New Hampshire girls who
migrated with their parents to Eau
Claire some dozen years ago. 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 indoors or out.
From the start, they took the place of
boys they were not afraid of dust or
sunshine; they never complained =
they never tired out; they seldom
missed day from the fields through
all the seasons, from earliest Spring to
latest Autumn. As they grew older,
they grew tough and wiry, aud were
alike ready at handling teams, break
ing colts. building bridges, opening
roads, foTding creeks, clearing mead
ows, loading hay, binding grain, or
mounting a straw stack. In good sea-
sons they cut so tons of hay and so
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 so
head of cattle, drawing hay from the
swamps in the coolest weather. They
hired no help except at harvesting
They did their own trading and mar
keting, and could never be outwitted
by any of the store chaps in Eau
Claire. The giT's are now Is and 2S
years of age, and have done more farm
work than any two boys in the coun-
ty. Their father, beginning with moth
ing, is now rich, with broad fields and
thousands of ready stamps, mostly
achieved through the grit and energy
of his daughters. During the past sea-
son the girls have ''let up" little in
their outdoor accomplishments, and
are only cultivating twenty acres of
corn, for their own amusement. They
have built them a spacious residence. |
They attend balls and parties, go trout
ing, drive their own teams, and occa-
siOnally give the boys q chance to show
their spunk and galiantry. OF course |
such girls are the objects of excite
ment in their neighborhOod. They
are looked upon as capital priZes,h
and young fellows are ready to break |
their necks for them. They are now
right in their freshest bloom, with
thoughts of love and romance, and |
what may seem strange, they are nei-
ther coarse or masculine, in appear |
ance; they are simply round, trim, |
sprightly girls, with resolution in their |
eyes and good sense in their heads. 1t !
may be interesting to female politi- |
clans, to know that these Chippeway |
Valley girls never whine or declaim |
about their rights" or position. u
They saw rough work to be done
work most decided i'll our Western |
asking odds of nobody |
they went in bravely on their muscle |
and did it. They have made 10 noise
about it. They have not cackled at |
Conventi ms. They have never sat
with Miss Anthony or Lucy Stone |
They have fairly won a /
much higher seat emOng the queens |
Jf American MISUNDERSTANDING Vie
cOHsin.