The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-07-18
THE FARMERS STORY.

thoughts I had no words for, and make
beautiful pictures for myself in my mind
not fine ones, sir. This is what l see the
Oftenest "A little oottage-an "A wide fire
place, such as they, had in my day, a
dresser with a row of delphi upon it, four
chairs, and a table Of pine. When
had these was to marry Peggy Grey
But when | should have them, and she
had her white Wedding gown and the
house linen, neither of us knew.
She put her sixpences into red earth
ern savings bank, and | kept mine in an
old glove. For two years we had been
waiting and hoping, aud were mot much.
nearer than at first. Sometimes L felt.
down-hearted, Sometimes her little let
ters were bit sad And just as / sat
in the meadow knew she sat before the
kitchen fire in the house that she lived
at service. Simple folks we were, but
we had hearts, and felt, perhaps, as deep
ly as greater folks might. ~ r,. ....l
Ny master, the farmer, was a close
man. He squeezed as much work out of
his hands as possible, But it was a steady
place, and he paid all he promised 50 I.
staid, never thinking what trouble staying
would bring to me-trouble that never
would have come but for Mark 'ITulkcr.
\ good -for-nothing fellow he was, dis.
grace to the rest of us, and he cheated
the master and left his work undone.i So.
after hours, master set me at his stint,
and it being indoor work, kept at it all
night. The old man liked that, and set
me new task every night All the bet
ter for me; thought he would pay me
extra, and what was weariness to me, if
it only brought me nearer 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 l, "I've worked over
hours every night; you forgot that"
hire you by the week. he said.
"I'll give you no more than one weeks
wages. SO, if you don't like it there are
plenty of strong lads to be had, you are
growing lazy" Then he turned his back
on me, and Mark laughed. That anger
ed me, and words fell from my lips. We
had a quarrel, master and l, and / call
ed him a j" niggardly old rascal, and
with that he dismissed me from his SER
vice. r.. l.rY, s... ..II .-.fG.r.-r
At dawn you 60" said he, f" You've
worked to-day, and have right to your
bed at night, but at dawn you 60" 49,.
/ marched out of the room, with words
never should have used, and up to my
garret and threw myself on my bed. But
did not mean to stay to be turned out
AT midnight, I rose softly, made up a
bundle, and climbed out of a window -
cut my hands with the glass of bro
ken pane and blood dropped down upon
my clothes. But | was too angry to feel
the pain; and bound up the wound
witha handkerchief Then trudged on,
meaning to look for work next day. So
| did, but / found none. Then the
thought struck me to make my way to
-, and see Peggy, 1t would be a
comfort to me whatever came, So |
turned my steps in that direction, and
kept on until night fell. Then, faint and
weary, | lay down under some bushes and
feel asleep.
Out Of that sleep l was aroused by a
shout and clutch Of strong hands Men
stood about me. One shouted my name
They held me fast and bound me. ii
| struggled, but it was of no USE
Numbers were against my single strength.
What are you? Robbers I? I've
nothing worth the taking" said, at last;
and when standing still saw faces
knew about me--those of the farm hands
at my old masters. us iial ,a'fral t5iE
"You know well, Jack Malone" said
one, " If he did speak an ill-word at last,
he was a good man in the main, and
you'd worked for him three years. You
might have answered him. as you liked,
but to try to murder him was too horri-
ble. We didn't think it Of you, Jack
we didn't think it." .,, ' 'y' W "
Murdered wI cried, dis old master
murdered? Why lay it to me2 I swear
| never hurt him "'a y d. ~ ''''''aaA 'a
"If he is not quite dead it's none Of
your fault" cried another man. Don't
perjure yourself-look at the blood on
your clothes" '.''a h e'g H''l @'t ''a.
The blood from my hand was in clots
and smearS all over my vest feel my
heart turn sick when think of it.
g Master will clear me-" said. ii e
g He says it was you" said one of the
men. {" At least, he nodded yes, when
We asked him if you did it," 10 ~ ..4
Then old master was not right in his
mind" / said. "He'd never be against
me- ,...l "a. .,,.. r.,5 ..ir..., .,,r H. 81.
After that | heard the whole. Maste,