The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-06-22
THE FARMERS STORY.

"Seen YOU sit on the fence, sir writing il
that little book. | thought perhaps you might
be writing poetry. A good many people come
down here of summer and make poetry about
the sheep and the moon. Peggy reads 'enl
out to me in the paper, and the stories too, sir
Do you write stories? Yes? Well, that's 4
gift If had it think | could write one
about what has happened to me.
Now, it's all plain sailing, nothing out OF
common; but | wasn't always well-to-do old
farmer. Once | was a farmers boy-a hand
with nothing of my own but stout heart
and strong limbs, and good health.
"Many's the night, when the stars were in
the sky, | used TO 30 out to the great pasture
where the sheep browscd all day, and sit and
think thoughts had no words for, and make
beautiful pictures for myself in my mind-not
fine ones sir. This is what | used to see
oilenest: A little cottage with II wide fire
place, such II, they had in my day A dresser
with row Of def upon it, four chairs and a
table of white pine. When | had these was
TO marry Peggy Grey. But when | should
have them, and she her white wedding gown
and the house linen, neither of Us knew.
"Shc put her sixpcnccs into n red earthen
savings bank and kept mine in an old glove.
For two years we had been waiting and hop
ing, and were not much nearer than at first
sometimes her letters were Il bit sad. And
Just as sat in the meadow knew she sat be-
fore the kitchen fire in the house where she
lived at service.
MY master, the farmer, was q close man.
He squeezed rs much work out of his hands
rs possible But it was steady place, and he
paid all he promised: 80 stayed, never think
ing what trouble staying would bring me to
trouble that would never have come but for
Mark Uulicr A good.ior-nothing fellow he
ni- Hr.Yga tp tlp al nZ and he cheat
cd the master and left his work undone. SO,
after hours, master set me at his stint and ii
being indoor work kept ut it all night, The
old man liked that and set me n new task
every night All the better for me, | thought
hc would pay me extra, and what was wcari-
ness 10 me if it brought me nearer TO my Peg
gy. So counted the hours work as SO many
shllings. But when Saturday night came, he
gave me just my weeks wages.
"'Master,' said |, I've worked over hours
every night you forgot that
~ hire you 10y the week, he said. I'll give
no more than one weeks wages. So if you
don't like il, there's plenty of strong lads to be
had if You are growing lazy Then he turned
his back on me, and Mark laughed. That an
gered me, and words fell from my lips. We had
quarrel master and |, and | called him u
niggarIy old rascal, and with that he dismiss
I'd me from hi, service
"'At dawn you go he said. You've work
cd today and have a right TO your bed nj
night but at dawn you GO
II marched ont of the room, with words
never should have used and up to my garnet,
and threw myself on my bed. But | didn't
mean to stay aud be turned ont At midnight
| rose softly, made up a bundle and climbed
stealthily ont O: window ! cut my hands
with the glass Of "a broken pane and the blood
dropped down on NV clothes
But ! was too angry 10 feel the pain, and
bound up my wound with a handkerchief
Then | irudgcd on. meaning TO look for work
next day. SO | did, but found none. Then
the thought struck me 10 make my way To --
and see Peggy II would he a comfort 10 me,
whatever came SO / kept on until nightiall.
Then, faint and weary, lay down under some
bushes and fell asleep.
"OGi OF that sleep | was aroused 10y a shout
and the clutch OF strong hands Men stood
about me. One shouted INV name. They held
me fast and bound me-
~ struggled, but ii was of no use Numbers
were against my single strength.
"'What are YOU; Robbers I've nothing
worth the taking ! said at last: and when
standing still, | saw faces knew about me
those OF The iarm-hands at my old masters
lyon know well what We want. Jack Mar.
lone said one If he did speak an i'll word
at last. he was n good man in the main. and
you'd worked for HIM three years You might
have answered him as you liked, but TO Try
ard murder him was too horrible We didn't
think II Of YOU. Jack-we didn't think it,
Murdered" ! cried. Is our old master
murdered Why lay Il TO me- / swear |
never huri him