Connecticut western news., 1873-08-15
A Village Farmer.
The Story as 1t was Told to Us.

III one or the small villages less than twenty miles from New York lives far mer, if he may be so called, who has only eight acres of tillable land, and a few acres of swamp land devoted part to forest and part to pasturage. When young he learned the mason's trade. The land came in part from his father and the rest he bought after time, and when there was no such thing as village near, or thought of. After learn ing his trade he married nice girl, and they lived in a small house but as no work was to be had near, he sought it in neighboring towns, and if the dis tance was not great, not over five miles, from his work nights and mornings. Wages at that time were only $l.25 per day, but he saved money every year, few more acres, which he would culti- In seven or eight years he got so fore enough at $5 per M, delivered, to build the work may be of some interest to the present eight-hour men. It was for tunate that just at this time he had a
 
 two miles distant, so that he could easi- the walls just after sunrise. That was the time when even the ten-hour rule had not been adopted, so they all worked till sundown. After eating his supper and working in his garden or corn-feld as long as he could see, he went to bed, and was ready next morn ing with the lark. Then he hired man for 50 cents day to dig his cellar, which was 7 feet deep, 40 feet long, and 29 feet wide. By this time he had an apprentice, and taking few days time from the job they laid up the wall. while the apprentice and everybody were asleep he would lay brick alone, making his own mortar and tending air spaces, and the house is standing to- day, and will stand many day. Of course it was not finished that year it next fall, and it required another year tom-with smoke-house in the chim- cistern under the kitchen, while the sit I1AS-1OOLAS pd11OA, oSnu pdA4O1 OCu1OOH1S had plaster cornices and gay center pieces overhead, all done in the best style of workmanship. Then his wife had flowers and shrubbery in the great est variety; grapes were abundant, and there were all kinds of cherries, plums, pears, and apples.
 That was the way he got home. Now he does not work much at his trade, 'ex- l. finishing to do, then he gets $5 8 day j; but he is engaged mostly in farming. On the place are kept four COWS, 8 span of horses, two hogs, and a large stock of poultry. The yield of hay is over two tons to the acre, corn usually yields 60 bushels an acre, the orchard yields from 800 to 1000 bushels of apples, and potatoes and vegetables of all kinds. Last year he sold sweet corn to neigh bors, who came after it at 25 cents a dozen, for which he got over $150. Milk from the four cows is sold at the house at seven cents 8 quart to the amount of several hundred dollars. The horses are fat, the COWS are fat, the hogs are fat, and the hens fat enough to produce on an average dozen eggs a day the year round. It is true that our 1f1enu IS rOugn-lOOKlnB, anu sometimes dirty, for he has not yet learned the ten-hour system but if you go to his house as a visitor, you will find him cheerful as the day-you will see a large orange tree in the bay window of the sitting-room, most the year bearing golden fruit, and at the close of sum- mer's day he will be delighted to sit with you on the piazza shaded with vines and cluster roses, and talk of the good days gone, and not less of the good days to come, with nice village all around, and railroad with ever so many trains day, and churches and schools, and all these things. You might think he would be decrepit, and that his wife would have died long ago with hard work, but not bit of it; and they ride out in their shining black car riage as grand as anybody.-[N. c. M.