The Republican journal., 1875-04-01
Two Girls that Tried Farming.

Dorothea Alice Shepherd and Louis
Burney vs.. Fate.
| Yes, that was the way the case stood
| We were making the fight.
We often wonder now that we dared
But success is enervating. Our need
gave us requisite intensity then.
| suppose fate and folks thought WI
were very well off as we were-Louise a
housemaid in family where she was ''a'
good as anybody, ;" and | as district schoo
teacher; at least, know that in the firs
of the struggle the sympathy was all OF
now that we have succeeded; but there
were days and times when well, never
mind it is little matter since we have sue
ceeded, have accomplished nearly every.
thing which they predicted we never could
do.
| was district school teacher, and
Louise hired girl, as | said. People
who have become interested in US since
our success say we are each the others
complement. Perhaps. Ever since we
were tiny school girls we had owned in
Joint proprietorship many Spanish castles,
where we chiefly stayed when together,
as neither of us had any other bona tide
home But the time came when, instead
of reading and romancing together, we
spent our hours in scolding over our lot
| suppose, indeed, that had we been mem
bers of the International. or the Commune,
instead of pair of harmless Yankee vii
lage girls, we could not have discussed
the problems of work and property much
more fercey than we did We wanted a
home, we wanted to be our own mis-
tresses, we wanted living that should
be independent of the likes, dislikes, and
caprices of others.
We read up the subject OF labor, talked
over every branch we had known women
permitted to try We turned from all the
traditional industries of our sex we knew
Louise would have liked to take a step
up 81 should prefer something that
would take us among books, shouldn't
YOU Dolly? If we only had money we
would begin little store; books on one
side, with nice new counter, and on the
other side bottles and drugs, Don't you
think so, Dolly, some day?'
But Dolly knew two ladies, tired out
teachers, who were doing that; and she
knew the amount Of debt incurred in addi-
ton to the capital invested.
Then, in her desperation. Louise would
resolve she must save her wages and edu-
cate herself as a teacher of mathematics,
while | should perfect my French and
drawing. .'It | could don't you think
we might get hired in the same school,
Dolly?"
My poor Louise! there has always beer
something the matter with her head where
figures are concerned. When she sets the
basket of eggs in the wagon | always in
quire if the 'slittle pencil is in the pocket
book 1t always is, for-caretul little sou
she wouldn't be the one to peril our pre-
cious gains by trusting to mental calcu
lation of eleven dozens at thirteen cents
per dozen.
But finally, when a good plan and cap
tal to carry it out both seemed impos
sible, both the plan and the capital sud
denly ''turned up
| A maiden sister of Louise, who. az
housekeeper had saved up eight hundred
dollars, died and left the sum intact ''t6
u.s. as Louise was pleased to say. Ant
one day soon after, she laid down thu
New York Tribune and said, "Let us g
west"'
IL was lliCtLl ~ lllClIS ,JCol ottu l
was breeze to blow the tendril Of ;
vague fancy of mine round a happ.
thought which l suppose many othe
women have tried to Chamber up by.
Lou, why not?' | exclaimed at once
'Whv not 90 west and buy bit of lant
and raise small fruit for the market"
In a few moments we had talked our
selves brave and eager, not so much owe
the work as over the happiness; the pla1
presented itself to us as idyl, PASTORAL
holiday. picnic THAT would be hom
and independence beyond any of the othe
plans,n said Lou Just you and l, AM
nobody to deal with but Dame Nature !"
| went back to my boarding place.
read and reflected Unfortunately for ou
project, i had genius for details, an
now it came into baleful activity
stayed away from Louise until there wa
not a shred Of our bright plan left. Fri
day she sent me a note, and Saturda
night went up to see her.
She took me up into her room, turne
me round, looked me attentively in tn
iace. ''Dolly, what have you turne
down the lights for? Aren't we going t
raise small fruits =? or did dream it"
Lou, do you know how long it takes t
bring strawberries into profitable bearing
and raspberries, too9"
Il believe strawberries bear in June
and raspberries some time in July :
why ?" answered she innocently. Il SUP
pose we should set them early in spring.
Lou Burney, we should have to wal
as good as two years - l cried Eyes
and then, unless we were supernatural
| A. +ho hull ofo
would go at ten cents per quart. Iv
searched market reports through old pc
pers, until Pm perfectly certain the mai
kets everywhere must be overstocked.
is not safe to stake our interests in sue
an enterprise. We should have to pre-
duoe enormous crops to make it bus
ness worth while. And it isn't likely tw
ignorant girls could do that-not at first
and since, meantime, two Ignorant girl
must live, they had better beware
"Oh, Dolly! do you mean to say a
our talk the other night has gone fo
nothing? And you were so sure! HOY
could you?'
Il hope you don't blame me for lookin
round y | replied, rather GROSSLY, for
was as badly disappointed as she.
Men say we have no business instlnc
Louise and | are far more inclined to be
lieve that now than at first 1t is woman
like to seize blindly hold of somebody
happy thought and endeavor to realize
under the most absurd circumstances.
YOU could only hear the plans that lone
energetic women have submitted to us
Still. we don't think it the fault of the se2
so much as OF training. For just one cer
tury give the generations OF women tn
active life of men, and we shall not max
these mistakes.
Louise looked up at last so regretfull,,
81 believe I'd rather we hadn't 1ound ou
and gone on and tried it, it was such
nice plan; you and l with house OF OF
own-it was next thing to being blrc
and living in nest 1would rather hav
tried it, and lived so a while, even ii