The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-08-11
A Village Farmer.


The story as II was Told TO Us.
In one Of the small villages less than
twenty miles from New FORK lives q lnr-
mer, Il he may DO so called, who has
only eight acres OF tillable lind, and
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 tho rest ho bought after q time,
and when there was no stitch thing rs
village near, or thought Of. After learn.
ing his trade he mrried nice girl, and
they lived In n small liOtise but rs no
work wds to be had near, he sought 1t
in neighboring towns, and II the dis
tanco was not great, not over five miles,
he boarded. ut home, and walked to and
from his work nights and mornings.
Wages ut tint time were only Sl.25 per
dny, but he saved money every year,
md after time he was able To buy u
few more ncres, which lie would culti-
vate when he could get no mason werk.
In seven or eight years lie got so fore
handed Rs to be able to bny brick
enough at 81 per NJ, delivered, To build
nice twO.story house. The way he did
the work may be Of some interest to the
present eight.hour men. 1t was for
tunate that Just nj this time he had n
good Job Of brick aud stone work only
two miles distant, 80 that he could east
ly eat his breakfast ut home and get on
;he walls Just after sunrise. That was
tho timo when even tic ten-hour rule
had not been adopted, 80 they all
worked till sundown. After eating his
supper and working in his garden or
corn. field as long as he could see, he
went to bed, and was ready next MORN
ing with the lark. Then he hired man
for 90 cents a day to dig his cellar,
which was 7 feet deep, 40 feet long, and
28 feet wide. BY this time ho had IN
apprentice, and taking few days time
from the job they laid up the wall:
After that, when the moon shone, and
while the apprentice and everybody
were asleep ie would lay brick alone,
making his own mortar and tending
himself. The wall was thick, and had
air spaces, and the house is standing to.
day, and will stand many day. OF
course 1t was not finished that year; 1t
was little more than inclosed by the
next fall, and it required another year
before it was completedfrom top to bot.
tom-with smoke.house In the chim-
ney in the cellar, also q Fireplace, n
cistern under the kitchen, while the sit
ting.room, parlor, and pnrlor bedrooms
had plaster cornices and gay center
pieces overhead, oil 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 ail kinds OF cherries, plums,
pears, and apples.
That WIS tic way hegot q home. Now
he does not work much ut his trade, ex-
cept in winter, when there is nice inside
finishing to do, then he gets s. n day
but he is engaged mostly in farming.
On the place are kept four cows, q span
Of horses, two hogs, and a large stock
of poultry. The yield OF hny is over
two tons to the acre, corn usually yields
90 bushels an acre, the orchard yields
from 900 to 1000 bushels Of apples, and
potatoes and vegetables Of oil kinds.
Lust year he sold sweet corn to neigh
bors, who came after il ut % cents q
dozen, for which lie got over $3.50.
Milk from the four COWS is sold ut the
house at seven cents quart to the
amount OF several hundred dollars. The
horses are fat, the cows nre fat, the
hogs are fat, and the hens fat enough to
produce on m average dozen eggs q
tlay the year ronnd. II is true that our
friend is rough.looking, and sometimes
dirty, for he has not yet learned the
ten-hour system but II you go to his
house ms q visitor, you will find him
cheerful as the day-you will see q lnrge
orange tree in the bay window of the
sitting.room, most the year bearing
golden fruit, and at the close Of sum.
ncr's day lie will be delighted to sit
with you Oh the piazza shaded with
vines and cluster roses, and talk OF the
good days gone, and not less OF the
good days ocome. with u nice village all
around, aud q railroad with ever so
many trains n day, and churches and
schools, and all these things. You
Eight think he would be decrepit, and
that his wife would have died long ago
with hard work, but not n bit Of it; and
they ride out in their shining hlack car-
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