The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-09-28
BOYS AS FARMERS.
A Capital Sketch of Old Boys and
Young Boys.

A Capital Sketch of Old Boys ant
Young Boys.
There are so many bright spots ir
the life of.a farm-boy, that I some
times think I should like to live the
life over again: should almost be
willing to be girl if it were not fol
the chores. There is great comfort
to a boy in the amount of work he
can get rid Of doing. It is sometimes
astonishing how slow he can 60 On an
errand, he who leads the school in q
race. The world is new and interest
ing to him, and there is so much to
take his attention off when he is sent
to do anything. Perhaps he couldn't
explain, himself, why, when he is sent
to the neighbor's after yeast, he stops
to stone the frogs; he is not exactly
cruel, but he wants TO see if he can
hit 'em. No other living thing can
60 80 slow as boy sent on an errand.
His legs seem to be dead, unless he
happens to espy woodchuck in an
adjoining lot, when he gives chase to
it like a deer; and is q curious fact
about boys, that two will be great
deal slower in doing anything than
one, and the more you have to help
on piece Of work the less is accom-
plished. Boys have power in help
ing each other to do nothing; and
they are so innocent about it and un-
conscious. II went as quick as ever
I could" says one boy, when his father
asks him why he didn't stay all night,
when he has been absent three hours
on q ten minute GRAND. The sarcasm
has no effect on the boy.
Going after the cows was a'serious
thing in my day. I had to climb up
a hill which was covered with wild
staw berries in tho season. Could any
boy pass by those berries2 And then
in the fragrant hill-pasturo, there
were beds Of winter green with red
berries, tufts of coumbino, roots of
sassafras to be dug, and dozens of
things good 10 eat or to smell, which
I could not resist. 1t sometimes even
lay in my way to climb tree to look for
crows nest, or to swing in. the top,
or to see if I could see the steeple of
the village church. 1t became very
important sometimes for me to see
tho stecplc; and in the midst of my
Investigations the, tin horn would
blow great blast from the farmhouse,
which would send a cold chill down
my back in the hottest day. l knew
what it meant. 1t had frightful i'm
patient quaverin it, not at all like
tho sweet note that called us to dinner
from the bayfield,. ."Why on earth
doesn't that boy come home2 1t is
almost dark and the cows ain'J milkcd
yetr' Aud that was the time the
cows had to start into brisk pace
and make up for lost time. l wonder
if any boy ever drove the cows home
who did not say that tho cows were
at the further, end of the pasture, aud
that "Old Brindle was hidden in the
woods, and he couldn't find her for
ever so lony?" Tho brindlo COW is
the boys scapegoat many a time.
No other boy knows how to appre-
ciate holiday as the farm-boy does;
and his best ones are of peculiar
kind. Going fishing is, of course, one
sort. The excitement OF: rigging up
the tackle, digging the bait, and the
authorization Of great luck, these are
pure pleasures, enjoyed because they
are rare. Boys who can 60 fishing
anytime care but little for it. Tramp
ing all day through brush and brier,
fighting flies and mosquitoes, snd
branches that tangle the line, and
snags that break the hook, and re-
| turning home lato and hungry, with
wet feet and astring of speckIed trout
on q willow twig, AID have the family
crowd out to the kitchen door to look
at 'em and say, "Prctty we'll done for
you bub, did you catch that big one
| yourself?"z This is also pure happi-
ness, the like of which the boy will
never have again; not if he becomes
sclectman and deacon, and to "kccp
store"
But the holidays I recall with
delight were the two days in tho
spring and fall, when we went to, the
distant pasture land, in neighboring
town. may be to drive thilher the
young cattle and colts, and to bring
them back again. 1t was O wild and
rocky upland where our great pasture
was, many miles from home, the road
to it running BY brawling river, and
up a dash;ng brookside among the
great hills. What days adventure
it was! 1t was like journey to
Europe. The night before [ could
scarcely sleep for thinkin of it; and
there was no trouble about gettin me
up at sunrise that morning. The
breakfast was eaten, the luncheon was
packed in large basket. ..
I wish the journey would never end;
but at last, near noon, we reached the
pasture and turned in the herd; and,
after making the tour Of the lot TO
make sure there ore no breaks in the
fences, we take our luncheon from the
wagon and eat under the trees by the
spring. This is the supreme moment
Of the day. This is the way to life
this is like the Swiss Family Robin,
son, and all the rest Of my delightful
acquaintances in romance. Baked
beans, rye and Indian .breal (most
remembered), doughnuts aud cheese
pie and root beer. What richness
You may live to dine at Dclmonico's
or at, Phillipye's in tho rue Monitor