River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-04-12
,aracter. it did not take her long to

sOrtment of either was not extensive,
but chosen with view to profit. To
do the work necessary TO make these
available, it was necessary TO get
the assistance of some man who under
stood what was to be done with them.
She called at several places on her way
home 20 secure, if possible, such as
sistance. 1t was in the spring of the
year, and none was to be had. Here
was another trouble, and one which
she had not anticipated. After visit
ing several places in vain, she finally
returned home, almost discouraged.
She had the seeds and only needed the
labor of a man to prepare the ground
and plant them, after which she could
care for them herself. But no man
could be obtained they were all en-
gagged at this season. While sitting
on the porch of her cottage, coming
over the ways and means of obviating
her difficulties, she was approached by
a rough but kindly-faced man, whose
face was entirely strange to her.
"Are you Mrs. Norris, ma'am y
SAID he.
''Yes, that is my name"
"Well, Mr.. Fisher sent me here to
make an explain about his ducks ma
am"
"W hat of his ducksl 2"
''Well, ma am, you see-that is, the
ducks. ma 'am-that is, he said, ma'am
well the ducks won't stay home
they be constantly going to your lit
tie pond, ma am. and he wanted to AK
you, ma am, if you would take them
ducks and keep them, ma'am, and call
it good bargain for him to get red
of 'em, ma'am. You see, the ducks
won't stay home and he hain't got no
pond and lie can't take care o 'em,
and he wants To gle 'em to YOU"
Certainly; if they will stay with
me will care for Them" she replied.
"Then Mr.. Fisher said, ma'am, if
you had any little fixin' up o. the
grounds to do, ma'am, was to do it
for you so come to do it."
Here is the very man she had been
looking for, and he seemed to have
been sent by Providence for this
special emergency.
S'How much do you ask day for
your work my man 3
81 don't ask nOthin', ma'am. Mr..
Fisher-he's my bOss-he said | was
to do anything you wanted done, and
m come to find out what it is
81 want my garden dug and my
seeds planted, that is all. If you will
come to morrow, will show you all
about it,
The following day Mr.. Fishers man
came and started on his labors. In q
few short days the plot was laid out
and the planting finished. While the
work was going on the children were
delighted with the hustle and change,
and were in n state of continuous hap
piness. So lightly do the burdens of
life rest upon childish shoulders, and
so little do children realize the sor-
rows and cares of life, and with all the
recent and prospective troubles, the
little excitement of the work going on
around the place afforded them per-
feet happiness. Different, however,
was it with Mrs. Norris. She realized
to the fullest extent the difficulties of
the position in which she was placed.
With two small children to provide
for, and little with which to make the
provision, she saw nothing but trouble
ahead. But God helps those who help
themselves. STEADILY forward" vas
her motto. God had given her these
little ones to provide for, and with his
help she intended to provide for
them.
By strict economy the money would
last her through the spring and early
summer, and then she could sell her
vegetables, and get something with
which to carry her through the winter.
With this calculation she worked
with might and main. The chickens
she had purchased would yield her
some eggs, which she could sell, and
she made up her mind to increase
them, so that she would have chickens
and ducks for sale in the fall--and
such chickens and ducksl The delight
of Mrs. Norris and the two children
was the feeding of those beautiful
ducks.
One morning, as they were feeding
them alongside of the cottage, by the
pond, a passing peddler stopped to sell
his wares. Observing their occupa-
ton, he asked Mrs. Norris what she
would take for the eggs. She did not
know what to say, for he seemed to be
anxious to get them. Finally he asked
her how many she had. She replied,
Five Dozen"
Il will give you i've dollars for
them, If they are the eggs of those
ducks"
"They are, and l think that is very
good price, and Will take it."
The bargain was struck, and the
eggs and the meney transferred. Then
the peddter observed, MADAM, you
have there some valuable birds they
are ROuen ducks,and will bring a large
price in the market
This was a revelation indeed. From
that time the ducks were watched with
double care. The eggs were Matched
under the most mOtheriy hens, and
| fine flocks were ready for the next
| fall. In the meantime the season for
vegetables arrived, and, with the aid
of Mr.. Fishers man, who never failed
to be on hand when wanted, the pro-
duce was prepared for market and
sold.
When the Fall arrived, her Rouen
ducks brought her five dollars per trio.
and thus provided her with a nice lit
| tie sum with which to pass through
Il NiAE luOs sic 1EdS6u lit
| privilege of cutting ice on her pond
| during the winter, so that she was
not entirely without resources at that
time. Thus did her forethought, her
care and her thrift secure to herself
and the two orphans not only nice
living, but money enough to give them
fair education. And their circum.
stances grew brighter from year to
year.
Perhaps all this would be much more
| interesting were it fiction, and could
we wander into thousand and one
details which facts would not variant.
but when it is considered that the
foregoing is an episode of actual life,
with only variation of names and
| places, it seems TO establish the fact
that God helps those who help them.