The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-02-25

tensive clovering compelled them to hire
pasturage for their horse "Pampas,
and to "soil' the COW "Gentle Maggie;"
but even this they found profit in.
While the spring tillage is not yet in
order they shoulder their axes and din
ner-pails and proceed to cut the years
wood, which they obtain by thinning out
the young trees. They have no rails for
fences, and so buy logs and have them
sawed, board fence in their locality
being the cheapest. Louise drove
boxless wagon to the saw-mill, riding on
the reach. Of course she strove to look
very pretty, and her partner, who writes
of it, says "it was thought rather cum
ming than otherwise" They both de-
eide it is no harder to unload the boards
than to dance several hours. Except
digging the post-foles they built their
fence; took down and relaid other fences;
practiced driving their new horse over
the rough lots, while standing in the
wagon, where it was sometimes neces-
sary to get out and remove logs to Sc
cure roadway, and came back loaded
with chips and summer wood.
There were three acres not tillable,
covered by growth of white oak grubs,
which served them two years for knit
ting work" These they cut down, trim
ming the tallest for fences, and burning
the stumps and refuse together. Night
after night in the summer they had bon
fires for this purpose, and twice the
whole neighborhOod was rallied to save
the fence and put out the flames 1t was
bit of gipsy life-a delightful outlawry
hot T,,
they bring lettuce and peas up under the
snow, by aid of thin cover of straw and
some loose, protecting cornstallzs-
SO the garden thrives. Dorothea de-
scribes with great spirit runaway drive
which Louise took with Pampas, merely
to break him III after a fractious spell,
and succeeded. The neighbors for some
time had plainly been of the opinion that
them two girls have no business with a
horse" but they probably changed it
after this adventure.
One lesson in their experience proved
that to raise chickens, eggs, butter, and
small fruits for market, you must have
q market. Therefore, enterprising
little women, if you can secure land
there, remain East with your dainty Jer-
sey cows, your Leghorns and Dorkings.
Stay by the good markets. Your labors
will be no more arduous, while the re-
turns will be double" One day when
Cousin John sends over team and plow,
with driver, i'll return for sewing favors.
Dorothea persuades the man to let her
manage the plow. It was q very stony,
hilly piece, and she soon puts Donald
back in her place. eve can plow, as L
said, but do not think it advisable" But
the two girls dragged and marked the
four acres without help; and find they
can easier sew and make dresses, and
hire blowing and moving done with the
results, than to do those last thelnselr-oc.
And why not? dozens of farmers do
not scorn to do something outside, and
by job of carpentering, mason-work,
threshing-machine, or the like, furnish
themselves with many comforts other
wise unattainable.
There is one other exploit that is worth
telling. The girls had been SO often as
sured that their land wouldn't grow
corn" they began to think inmight be so.
But they wish to know. So they COM
post the guano Of their hennery with
plasteruntil it is fine, dry, and inodorous.
"Such q task as that was Lou would
stop and lean Ter forehead, wet and red,
upon her hoe-handle, and utter a bit of
the current but kindly neighborhood sar-
casm. 1.-TWO girls = Don you think
so Dolly z" And Dorothea says: Il
did think so sometimes" This home
made fertilizer was dropped by them
with pail and spoon in each hill-and
if the opinions concering the soil, with
which they had been favored, We're COR
rect, it had some effect; for their yield
upon the average "was ninety bushels
to the acre." "And let me say, says
Dorothea, "that in most instances, as
in this, it has paid us to work our farm
with idees. )" Their superior melons,
turnips, savoys, and strawberries We're
all the result of special work on special
plans.
The upshot of this sketch, so cleverly
told, is that two wide awake, energetic
girls have made themselves an indepen-
dent home, and make farming pay.
They found hard work, and still find it;
but their indoor coziness and comfort re-
ward them for it all. And Louise says
on behalf of disconsolate and aimless
women: "Now that men are coming
more and more to share their occupation
with us, / do wish the thousands who are
tired and restless and discouraged, and
haven't head enough to become doctors
and lawyers, and yet need money just as
badly, could see what pleasant way of
living this is. L wish you could tell
them, Dolly" And SO Dolly writes the
story.