The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-07
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Meet NOs. % ana ~ fourteenth street.


Vhces WV ID hhu - fOufteenth Aefee I.
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The Farm Iaborcr OF England.
Capt. Mayne Reid, In the New York Tribune.
On the lowest rounds Of England's social
ladder-if indeed on It at all-.is the Farm
Laborer. Politically, rs socially, he has nc
status whatever: neither any in an econo.
mic sense, his ply being the least in the
land, and barely enough 10 keep body and
soul together. Yet he Is often q manly,
noble fellow, morally and Intellectually The
equal Of those who employ him; aye, often
their superior. Between him and them
there Is little or no difference in breed OF
blood; only the accident Of some money on
one side with none at all on the other; nor
is he ever likely TO have II. Out Of twelve
shillings week, or scant three dollars
ms wages in most parts OF the country
laying by rs much Us a single sixpence
would be problem TO puzzle miscr. For
be 1t understood that they are "board
wages Out OF which he must maintain
himself and family, feed, clothe and keep a
roof over their heads, besides paying rents
and taxes. The poorestproletarian and hum.
blest householder in Englandis not beneath
the notice OF the taxgatherer, nor exempt
from his periodical visitations. In giving
twelve shillings US the weekly wages OF q
farm laborer l put It Mt its maximum in
most parts oil the country; for in many
places is he only too glad to get this, and
thinks himself among the favored ones
ii he can secure contract for it through.
out the whole gear. Unless a. iirs..rat6
band, that he is not always able to do; and
in many districts ten shillings or even nine
is n common scale OF payment where It is
permanent; less still II he be aged, or 9th.
erwise not up to his work. Considering
that beef Is rarely under % cents a pound,
mutton about the same, and other sorts OF
fresh meats still dearer; that bacon
Of good quality is IS cents, and flour usual.
ly over 3 the bushel; that his cottage OF
two or three rooms stands him in rent $50
TO SIS per annunl, It needs little arithmetic
to figure up the amount OF LIES luxury
possible 10 his position. Enough OF LIES
misery Is there in It, however, and more
than enough, for the worst is not yet told.
There may be days OF rain, and are-not
unlrequently q week. oil it-when wages
cease, and want enters his cottage. Or he
may be laid up with sickness, 4 heightened
spell; then the want comes nearer 10 what
might be called iamine-a diet OF bare
bread and water, even stinted allowance
at thatI Such cases are by no means rare.
The labor he gives in return for the
above petty wages isgreatly out OF proper.
10 ,l,.r hnt IS
i A. NJ. till q +. ~, half hour being allow.
ed him for breakfast and whole one for
dinner. Unless his cottage chance to be
close at hand he does not 90 home Tor
either meal, the time not permitting il.
They are brought with him in his little bag
or pail" and eaten by the ditch side,
even in winter; or, If working about the
farlnstead, the repast will be made in the
cart-shed, barn, or other outbuilding.
As to his sitting down to a spread table
inside the farmers house, even the
kitchen OF it, that is an occurrence
OF the rarest, and eating at the farm
er's own table 4 thing altogether un-
known to him. Poor is the fare he subsists
on, the very commonest and cheapest 10 be
procured; ut best only bread and boiled
bacon, cold OF course. He deems himself
we'll OF with this, and cannot always get it,
often having to fall back upon '..bloater"
(salt herring) eaten cold too. But OF all
the food commodities purchasable by him,
cheese is his chief staple and standby. Ii
goes further for he'amount Of money ex-
pended, and many farm iaborcr both for
breakfast and dinner has nanght but this 10
Kitchen his bread with. Tea he can only
get on his return home after his task Is
done, and OF this he is fond; Tor, notwith.
standing the tax on it, It is possibly the
most economical and certainly the most
luxurious OF bis mea!s. -------'
True, IN addition to his wages, he has q
daily allowance OF beer, or in the applcs
growing shircs OF cider. But this counts
for nothing in the wavof economy, and is
in truth rather q loss than gain to him, as it
tends toward habits OF dissipation. In hay
making and harvest time, II not under an
nual engagement, his pay is somewhat
better, as then he works by the "piece," or
job. Moving he undertakes by the acre;
two or more banding together to do the
work. The terms are about 81 an acre for
cutting meadow grlss, and somewhat less
for cutting clover. This includes drink,
which the seythemen provide for them
selves. As 4 good mower can cut All acre Of
meadow grass in day, the amour. OF his
earnings is easily reckoned. But it
must be remembered that this is no
ordinary days work, but hard, al.
most constant toll, comnenciu. at about
four O'Clock in the morning and continued
as long IS there is light enough to swing
the sythe by. II he succeeded in making
q dollar,a day, it is in truth by having
done nearly double work; so that his tenn.
porary increase OF wages is after all due to
aptoportioaately greater, amount; Of labor
performed; and then often, may add, to
the detriment OF his health. The same is
the case at harvest time, when reapipy
succeeds moving, with week or two OF
intcr1a! between. sarule the corncut-
ting is also done BY piece work. the labor
ers employed at it being often strangers to
one another, united in hands under one
who undertakes the job. AT this particu.
lar time the sons Of Erin, seeking harvest
work, penetrate to the most inland districts
Of England, and may lie met trudslns
along tho roads, reaping hooks and
crooks" carried conspicuously On their
shoulders, with other belongings in small
bundle beside. They are often accompan.
led by their wives and children, in gangs
like gypsies their sin.browned skins and
not oyer.clean habilimens telling that
they have been living and sleeping sub
jorf, or at the best i'll barns or under sheds.
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