Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1870-05-19
SeIect Sturu.
TIE FARMERS STORY.
by MARY KATE DALLAS

Seen you sit on the fence, sir writing
in that little book. [ thought perhaps
you might be writing poetry. A good
many folks come down here of summer
and make poetry about the sheep and the
moon. Peggy reads'em out to me in the
paper, and the stories too, sir. Do you
write stories? Yes Well, that's a gift.
If had it | think [ could make one about
what has happened to me. Peggy says
it could be done.
Now it's all plain sailing, nothing out
of the common ; but I wasn't always a
well-to-do old farmer. Once [ was q
farmers boy--a hand nothing of
my own but a stout heart aud strong limbs,
and good health.
'Many's the night, when the stars were
il the sky, | used to 60 out to the great
pasture where the sheep broused all day
and sit aud think thoughts [ had no words
for, and make beautiful pictures for my
self in my mind-not fine ones, sir. This
is what used to see the oftenest: A
little cottage with a wide fire place, such
as they had in my day. A dresser with
a row of delf upon it, four chairs and a
table of white pine. When I had these
[ was to marry Peggy Grey. But when
should have them, and she her white
wedding gown and the house linen neither
of us knew.
She put her sixpenses into red
earthen saving bank, and kept mine in
an old glove. For two years we had been
waiting, waiting and hoping and were not
much nearer than at first. Sometimes
[ felt downhearted. Sometimes her little
letters were bit sad. And just as I sat
in the meadow [ knew she sat before her
kitchen fire in the house where she lived
at service. Simple folks we were, but we
had hearts, and felt, perhaps, as deeply
as greater folks might.
My master, the farmer, was a close
man, He sqeczed as much work out of his
hands as possible. But it was a steady
place, and he paid all he promised ; SO
staid, never thinking what trouble staying
would bring me to, trouble that never
would have come but for Mark Hulker.
A good-for-nothing fellow he was. dis
grace to the rest of Us, and he cheated
the master and left his work undone. So
after hours master set at his stint, and ii
being indoor work, | kept at it all night
The Of / man liked that, and set me new
task every night All the better for me,
I thought, he would pay me extra, and
what was WEAKNESS to me if it brought
me nearer to my Peggy. So [ counted
the hours work as so many shillings.-
But when Saturday night came he gave
me just my weeks work.
Master said [, I've worked over
hours every night. you forget that
L hire you by the week. he said
III give no more than one weeks wages
So, if you don't like it, there are plenty Of
strong lads to be had if you are growing
lazy Then he turned his back on me-
and Mark laughed. That angerd me, and
words fell from my lips, We had {
quarrel, master and I, and | called him {
'niggardly old lascal ; and with that he
dismissed me FROM his serv ce.
AT dawn you CO. he said. You've
worked to-day, and have right to your
bed at night, but at dawn you CO.
i marched out of the room, with words
| never should have used, and up to my
garnet, and threw myself on my bed
But did not mean to be turned out A
midnight | rose sof' ly. made up bundle
and climcd oat of window | cut my
hands with the glass of broken pane ant
the blood dropped down upon my clothes
But was too angry TO feel the pain; ant
! bound up the wound with handkerchief