Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-08-17


of clover on the place, and though there
was an old brown house and barn, there
was not an orchard tree, nor remiuisceuce
of garden.
With a strange rev sense of security
which only the possession of bit OF real
estate can give one, we fitted away to pre-
pare to come again in the spring with the
first robin. / went back TO cousin Janet's
and hired out, not TO her, but to cousin
John; while Louise took up her old busi-
ness OF housework at a wealthy farmers
near us-cheerily both of us. We had paid
for our farm, and there remained to us
funds for the purchase of horse, wagon
and COW. Lou being supposed coolest in
case Of fire, took charge of the precious
deed, and OF the money, promising TO add
thereto, before spring, fifty dollars; "And
that will buy your clover seed, Dolly"
"But you know you believe in clover,
Lou, and several cows and sheep" l did
not fancy shouldering alone the RESPONSE
bllty of my theories.
"Oh yes, dear Dolly, if you ale certain
you do"
| was pretty certain.
Lo6 had her two dollars each week.
What had earned was twelve dollars per
month, experience and health. or course
they wanted TO keep the sick girl in the
house. But at the outset l made for my
self some short dresses-I am small and
slender, and 1t was not at all such an out
rage upon the aesthetics of dress as you
may fancy-and thus lightly and conven-
iently attired, and beginning moderately,
worked out Of doors every day with cousin
John and the boys.
l found everything hard but nothing inn
possible.
Little Rob and cut up about half doz-
en- acres of corn unassisted. Unassisted |
husked the same, bound my bundles, and
well, too. At first was greatly discour-
aged over this same "bnding," as all wo-
men are for cousin said be couldn't sacri-
fee too much 10 our experiment, and that
he wouldn't have me in the husking un-
less l could bind my stalks as l went.
promised, but il tore my hands cruelty,
and then the bundles upon which had
spent SO much time would fall in pieces
while | was carrying and setting them up.
But one day, when l was quite at loss
what TO do l espied two German women in
the neighboring field occupied like myself
and climbed the fence aud called upon
them, as very properly I might, they being
the later comers. They, l found, had
availed themselves Of woman's proverbial
wit they showed me some bills of coarse
twine.
'Go puy yourself some pals of leetlo
rope, aud not tear your shmall hands init
twisting stalks and marsh hay. 1t do take
more time TO twist him, than it did to earn
de leele rope"
1 returned triumphant, and amer that
bound my stalks, woman-like with "leetle
rope"
My cough ceased. The sunlight of the
lovely, vaporOus Indian summer weather,
aud the sweet air, proved at once balm
and a tonic for my irritated stomach, and,
together with the exercise, invigoratod my
appetite. 1 used 10 run down to dinner as
hungry as the boys, and bark gleefully
like WOLF in Janet's ears, 10 show her
how ravenous was, until at last the hired
man-an old scotchman- said one day TO
John, who was lecturing me, "Hoot, mon
let the lass alone gle her oatmeal pair
rilch for her breakfast, and let her wark
them as like wark can wark their ill on
tbatv
So they can. Louise and / know that.
cup of strong, pure, well-creamed coffee,
with a dish of oatmeal mush dressed with
cream and silted sugar, has been our daily
break fast for years. The old Scotchman's
hint has been a fortune to us in the matter
of solid muscle and healthy thought.
While l grew brown aud strong out in
the sunny fields, was daily learning my
business working alongside cousin John.
learned the easy way, tue "man's way"
of holding the plough and turning a fur
row, and it was a proud time for me when
Rob and l were trusted 10 plough ont the
potatoes when potato harvest came. 1
"thanked my stars that had had the en-
ergy and the sense thus to fit myself 10 car
ry out our enterprise. Cousin paid me my
wages by going over 10 our farm aud
ploughing up every rod Of it save the door
yard and wOod-lot He protested against
the nonsense of 'Hall ploughing !" but 1
insisted, talking "cut worms" and the mag
ic harrows of the winter frosts. He pro-
tested still more loudly because ! bargain
ed for every load of barn compost which
the farmers for ten miles around would sell
and deliver spread upon our ploughed
land-"io winter waste" they said and
he called me "headstrong grl' because
after making the land so rich 1 would not
take a wheat. crop of when 1 Seeded it,"
But Lou and knew q wheat-crop was an
affair OF money, men and teams from be-
ginning to end; besides, we meant TO save
the entire sire myth OF the soil for our fu-
ture meadows.
Many sly dig did 1 get about my stub
bornness.
"Have We bought yer team yet, Miss
Shepherd ?" Thus friendly neighbor.
"Miss Shepherd is saved the trouble of
reply. "A team? Dolly amt a-goin' to
buy no team; she's a-goin' to work her
farm with idees."
Well, why not?-if can2
So pursuant to Johns theory OF "idees,"
l question and question until have learn
ed the routine OF the main farm crops, the
number of days work per acre of both
men and horses, cost of seed, and probable
average and market value of yield. I also
learn the daily amount of food consumed
by each of the matchmaking animals, to-
gether with the market prices of the differ
ent meats.
When winter came, 1 returned to my an
cient employment. My school-keeping
wages paid my debts to the farmers; and
with the surplus bought out cousins hem
merry entire-:he fowls and guano-together
with a pretty pair of Poland pigs. Lou
had purchased grass and clover seed, and
had learnad 10 drive. and as knew how