The Osceola times., 1881-10-08
SAN GREY's FIDDLE-FADDLES.

schoolmate, as he leaned lazily against a
tree and watched the nimble fingers, as
with hammer and nails they finished of
the rustic piazza, which in odd moments
Father Grey had built on the front side
of the old farm, If | was going to do
ANYTHING, Sam, I'd begin at the begin
ming. That old shell isn't worth fixing
up, no how
said the amateur carpenter. The foun'
dation is like a rock, and the timbers are
all sound vet. The clapboards had rotted
for want Of paint in the beginning; but
with new siding, new shingling, blinds,
and a piazza front and back, II will last
long while yet, and be something
pleasant TO look at when my work is
done"
Pheasant to look at, Saml That comes
Of your taking papers and magazines,
and buying books and such like. Who
wants 10 look at anything when they've
done good days work am sure ]
don't. Give me an old easy chair, tilted
back 'gainst the open door, with a pipe
and plenty of tobacco. and ! wouldn't
change places with any of your new
tangled farmers. Besides all this, fixing
up costs money, and you've none TO spare,
] suppose"
"Not a cent 10 spare for what don't
need, Ben, and so / don't smoke or use
tobacco in any form. ! made a calcula.
ton when | started in life with Mary Ann
how much IL would cost me 10 keep
pipe and quid a-going, and determined
TO put that much every year into printed
matter and am not sorry I've done 80.
/ ht,t han /
wasn't as well of as you were-to begin
with good Observation-Disclosures
Mary Ann and | have seen some pretty
tight times, but we've never been with
out books and papers, and | lay it to
them, good deal, that | managed the
Dane farm SO well on shares that at the
end of eight years dared buy this"
at will be losing job, Pm afraid,
Sam. What with the mortgage, and the
fixing up you're doing all the time, you
will bring up in the poor-house, reckon.
Now, IL it had been me, I'd Just left
things in the yard, and road, and about
the house rs they was, would. And
I'd put all my strength out on the land,
would. Crops are what pay us, Sam,
not such new.fangled things as that and
the like" and he pointed to a spot in the
front door yard where had formerly stood
gnarled old apple tree, the fruit so sour
and bitter that it would have answered
very well for the impromptu gallows
about which rhymes were made while
ago. II had been cut down, not even
with the ground, but about four fee.
above the soil, then followed out and
filled with soil dug out almost by spoon
fuls from the richest hooks Of the forest,
and planted with vines and flowers.
Snowy, purple. pink and crimson VERDE
mas bloomed at the top in perfect will
derness of beauty, while money-wort
streamed down the sides in such tangls
that it seemed but column Of curiously
woven leaves.
MARY Ann and fixed that up in odd
moments, and we've got pleasure enough
out of the sight of it TO pay us back a
dozen times for all the trouble it was"
"But, it doesn't pay money, Sam; that
is what mean"
"Nether did ii cost money, Ben and
| hold that a hard-working man like me,
and hard working woman like Mary
Ann, have right to get all the comfort
they can out of things that do not make
them ont of pocket. The next thing I'm
going TO do is t. cut down that tree
you're leaning against, and Pm going to
haul in a lot of logs from the woods
different lengths, you know-and hollow
them out on one side, and fix them up,
natural like, on stones and recks, in diff
ferent spots around here, and fill them
with all kinds of ferns, and wild vines,
and such like | saw some in the
grounds of one of those merchant princes
that lives Just outside the city a bit, and
they were Just as nice looking orna-
ments as ever saw, and don't cost
penny. | can toss one or two on the
load every time go for wood, and fix
them up after supper, or in odd spells
when | would be doing nothing else.
The truth Is, don't expect TO live here
always, Ben; ! have got four little
Youngsters coming on mighty fast, and
want TO get somewhere where | can get
land enough for them all to begin on.
Farming is hard work; but after all, il is
the work ! want my boys to take to, un-
less they show bent for something
else. Farmers have misfortunes some
times, know, but If they are industri
ous they can get enough to eat. And so,
Ben, everything | do TO fix this place
will help me when l come 10 sell; and
meanwhile, Mary Ann and ] are happi-
er than We would be in a tumble down
old affair of house, and a dirty, clut-
tered up old yard.
There" and he stepped back and sur
veyed his work, when We get that COW
cred with vines, Mary Ann and I'll have
nice place TO sit Of an evening when
chores are done. And the children
II like il, too. tell you, Ben, We must
do something, we farmers, TO make our
children love their homes. IL We don't
they'll be kiting down to the village be.
fore we know il. and when they once
get a notion Of going there, it's hard
work to break it up"
"Well, San, you may fiddle faddle away
with your pszzas, and stumps, and logs,
and such like; I'll stick TO my crops. My
father and grandfather never wanted
ANYTHING better when their work was
done than pipe and plenty of tobacco,
and guess I'll follow after them. Good
day"
"I'm glad I'm not his wife" said Mrs.
Grey, coming out of the front door with a
bright eyed baby in her arms, and going
towards the gate so as 10 get good
view of the house. Hell let his old
shell rot down over their heads before
hen fix up bit. Poor Hannah Jane
she was such trim young girl, and took
90 much pride in looking nice! No
body'd think now that she was ever
anything but a slattern. But, as she
says. what's the use of her trying to have
things like other folks? Ben'll root up
everything in the shape of flower she
may plant, unless it's sunfower, and he
would that, only the hens'il eat the