The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-05-26
TWO WOMEN IN BUSINESS.
BY HELEN w1LMANs

In the spring of 1876, finding myself
in position where it was necessary to
make some exertion for my own living,
being ''lone, Iorn widder, aud being
also averse to the kind of work usually
delegated to my sex, formed partner
ship with another woman whose situa-
ton was similar to my own, and we went
into the poultry business together. Nv
partner Sue, Susan, Sooky or !Susannah
was a spinster (punster, according to
Mr.. Weller) and Just one of the nloest
sweetest, . bestest and tip-topiest +" old
maids that ever lived. She grew IN my
affections every hour / lived with her,
until at last she stood before me the
perfect incarnation of all the primitive
virtues. 1t was from her that | learned
to distrust the worth of those qualities
in men and women that had always held
my imagination captive, and decided
that education and genius and rare gifts
could never bring down the scale against
the pure goodness OF simple, trusting
and loving soul, such as hers.
After we had decided what we wished
to do, it required vigorous "looking
about" to find the place we wanted. But
we did find it on the banks of Clear
lake, well up toward its northern bound
ary. A farmer who occupied a large
tract of land, and had built fine house
near the center of it, left his old one
standing in an isolated corner, the pict-
ure of loneliness and despair as seen
from the eyes of the rich, but a very
haven of rest for two tempest-tossed and
homeless women, such as we were. And
then it was on the banks of the lake-a
fact that made amends for many disad-
vantages. Oh, that lake, thirty miles
long and ten miles wide, dotted with
evergreen islands. 1t comes back to me
now, hike the memory of lest paradise.
My soul grew visibly and constantly be-
meath its influence. 1t taught the lesson
of repose. 1t sought to induce in its
beholders the attitude of the angels.
Behold us, then, settled, with 100
hens, fifteen ducks and dozen turkeys.
Mr.. Worth sold us ton of wheat "on
tick" and we were equipped. The ducks
took to the water, where they seemed to
earn their own living, as they treated
our store of provisions with contempt.
They waddled home every night to be
shut up, and we found their eggs in the
pen in the morning. We sold our hens
eggs, and set the hens on duck eggs.
As we kept an account of all our trans
actions, will now refer to my book,
which still keep, in remembrance OF
some of the happiest days of my life.
find that on March 20 we had forty
hens sitting ON ten eggs each, AGO eggs
ia all, with seventeen young ducks
Matched out. On April 20 we had thirty
six hens sitting ON ten eggs each, and
327 nice, healthy young ducks. A month
later closed out the duck factory, with
$50 small fry on hand. In the meantime
the turkeys had not been idle, though /
am free to confess to this day my hope
less ignorance of the turkey character
and my inability to cope with the insti-
tuition on its own grounds. The ways
of turkey hen are mysterious and past
finding out; she is either the most con-
summate idiot on the universe or else
myself am slightly touched. Her va
garies are such that no mind in its nor
mai condition can apprehend them.
What tho hallucinations of delirium
tremens would do to help one out do
not know, but as a last resort L hang my
hopes on it until shall see it tried.
! One turkey hen to whom we had given
thirty-six young turkeys was in the habit
of wandering off wherever a vagrant
fancy led her. At last it entered her
simple nOUole TO sleep away from home.
Now, as the country abounded in "var-
mints, I" we considered her conduct reck-
less, unworthy, and in the highest de-
gree reprehensible. We expostulated
with her in vain. She would meander !:
her whole soul was given to the explora-
fion of unknown places. Many mile
did we tramp through the warm spring
rain to save the lives OF those little tur.
keys. The duty became bnrdensome.
We heard of sheep dog about ten miles
away that could be had by going for.
| Sue said it was Just the thing we need
ed. She had no doubt Providence had
sent it to us. had an idea that Provi-
dence had better have sent it ten miles
farther while it was in the business. but
held my peace In perfect content. as
Sue had proposed borrowing horse and
| going for him herself.
1t was a beautiful day the dav she
made the trip. One of the many bean
tiful days of the heavenly climate of
California. 1 was alone, but not lone
some. The spirit of growth transfused