Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-06-15

CHARLOTTE, June j.h.
To the Editor Q. the Free Press and Times
| don't know who is your itemizer for our
town; but whoever he is, he made bad
blunder in an item in your last weeks issue.
He got the cart before the horse, and as the
fact recorded under the head of Births"
occurred in my neighborhood, | don't feel
quite willing to have il go so. The fact in
regard to the ''yOuHg uRS,' as Tom Brown
would say, is all right; but the real name of
the father is Meader Jervis. The parents are
both French, a very worthy and lndustri-
Gus couple, considerably below the medium
size, of the ages of 90 and 2S respectively,
who have older children.
The father thought ne had as many chick
ems as he conld scratch for, and when two
put in an appearance, he seemed good
deal fustered, and said he should have to
put in an extra acre of potatoes. | told
him to keep up good courage; for had al
ways noticed that hen with a dozen chick
ems didn't have to scratch any harder. or
make half as much fuss, as hen with one.
The thought seemed to strike him fayora-
bly,, and set him up considerably.
Isn't it a pitiable sight, Mr.. Editor, u
see so many OF these one-chicken women in
all our communities? What can be more
so, unless it be to see so many that have no
ally INDUCED, and petted, and pampered
and spoiled 80, Temporal 0, Mores ="
What are the Yankee race coming to?
II you or any of your readers wish to
know what the crop prospects are in our
spaal with pnpftienPp.
gard to the boy crop. 1t is lust splendid J"
as the girls would put 1t. Three have
made an appearance, in our neighborhood,
within the last twenty days, and more are
expected. You needn't laugh and say, 81
guess Uncle John is counting his chickens
before they are hstched." Its no such
thing" Coming events cast their
shadows before LET him laugh that
wins" We shall win. Within half a
mile of my house there are seventeen boys.
One mother has seven, and the Oldest not
over fifteen Who will have the boldness
to say that We are not obeying that old IL
junction to our first parents, BE faithful
and multiply and replenish the earth. y
Too many. these days, practically ignore
this injunction, or reverse it. and seem to
be determined to do. the best they can 10
make the earth desert. without an inhab-
liant. Alas for them
The boy crop, in the rural districts, is the
most profitable crop raised. if properly cul-
tivated. Much depends on that. 1t is a
crop shat grows and thrives all the year
round. regardless of Winters cold, or Sum
mer's heat. Ii gets weedy. sometimes but,
if attended to in season, the weeds are easily
eIterminated.
To be sure, - devil grass" sometimes gets
into the crop, and then comes the tug OF
war;" like the Russians and the Turks; but
victory will clown right, in both cases.
There is another consideration in favor of
this crop. 1t Is not troubled with those
pestiferous insects which infest ordinary
crops. Grasshoppers ignore it. Borers
won't bore it. CurculiOs won't sting it.
Cut worms won't cut it. And the potato
bugs give il wide berth.
As to the girl crop, am at loss what
to say. | would like to report favorably. if
| conscientiou could. But. the truth is,
this crop. in our town, is awful slim. 1t is,
with few exceptions, thin and weakly and
of very little promise; good deal like my
crop of Winter rye, which looked 50 mean
that was ashamed of it, and took my
scythe and cut it down. and made hay Of it.
But it wouldn't do to do so by the girl crop.
They would hang me, if should attempt
any such thing. | don't know but they
will as it is, if you should publish this ar
ticle in your mice paper" as the children
say. Well, if I've got to be hung, would
be delighted to have the girls do it.
Yours, UNCLE JOHN.