Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-07-10

Gerald was thinking about it all,
and what had especially struck him
all through the day, was how willing
everybody was to work; whether
putting up the platform, kindling
fires, spreading tables, harnessing
horses, making speeches, everybody
was busy all the time, and all seemed
to enjoy the work itself. He said
something of that sort, and Uncle
Abner replied:
"That reminds me of a conversa-
ton [ overheard from some boys,
this morning, about liking to work;
and | want to tell those boys sto-
ry, to fill up the time as we drive
along
"More than a hundred years ago
my great-grandfather, your great
great-grandfather, boys, lived in a
little brown house just where our
farmhouse now stands. He was not
very rich-no one was in those days
but his farm was all cleared and
very productive, and with his wife
and four children growing up he was
very well and very happy. Then
came the first news of trouble with
England; the battle of Lexington
was fought, and and the battle of
Bunker Hill, and then one battle aft
er another, and there was a call for
troops, and the whole land was in
commotion. Your great-great-grand-
father thought and thought, and
looked troubled, but he did not say
anything till one day-it was in July,
1776-he came in at noon, and said
"Wife, pack my saddlebags; they
have declared the colonies free and
independent, and that means work
and sacrifice on. the part of every
body in the land-women, boys, and
ALL"
And your at-great-grandmoth
didn't say anything, only with her
eyes full of tears she made a great
baking, and put it with her husbands
mended socks and homespun shirts
into the saddlebags; and the next
day he mounted the finest horse he
had and rode off to join the army,
while the boys worked the farm.
Every now and then he sent home
for something, till all the ready money
which had been stored away, and all
the crops, except just enough for
seed and, to feed the family, were
gone and then he took the horses
and cattle, and last of all the boys.
The mother and two daughters now
went out into the deserted fields and
managed, during the summer, to
raise as much as they needed to eat
and in the winter they spun yarn and
knit stockings, and sent to the sold
iers. Then, when the long eight
years were over and the worn-out
soldier and one of his boys came
home again-the other slept in pat
riots grave-they set to work to re-
claim the wild farm and to build up
a new prosperity, that they might
have something to help the new gov
ernment which they, and such as
they, had worked and sacrificed to
establish. And that boys son, grand
father, followed in his steps; and
your father and L, Gerald, are try
ing to do the same and to train oul
boys also to the dignity of work
If there had not been thousands anC
thousands of just such families al
over our land, the little strip of sea
coast would not have grown, in {
hundred years, into vast country
stretching from ocean to ocean anC
from gulf to gulf we should not to-
day see it filled with cities and towns
which rival the millennial growths Of
the old worlds; with manufacture:
and commerce, mines, railroads, pub
lie buildings, schools, colleges, uni
versites, and libraries government
of which we are so proud, and an ag
riculture which dwarfs all others
These things did not grow up ik'
mushrooms they are the result o
; steady, intelligent, self-sacriieins
: hard work. Even our culture ha
l not sprung up spontaneously. but ha
been acquired by patient, self-deny
ing toll. Our representative mel
= have always been workers. Six year
} ago we had the grandest Fourth o
July celeDration-celebrating th'
hundredth birthday of the nation
: What was it, but an exhibition of th
Industries of all lands and all time
One year ago we held our breaths al
through the national holiday, becaus
au assassin's bullet had struck dow
: our noblest and our best beloved
} Why was Garfield so great and s
u beloved? Chiefly because he ha
{ climbed from povery to the Whit
y House, by the daily repeated steps G
, honorable toll
IL Gerald, my boy said Uncle AL
e ner, ''if our glorious country eve
falls too low to deserve a Fourth c
70 July celebration, it will be becaus
i - her boys despise work, and onl
! want to 'have good time :"
: 1t was long Grafton for the tire
y people to listen to, and some of til
le listeners had fallen asleep; but Ge
- aid had taken in every word. 1t
le to soon to see the good seed come VI
nc but we do not believe the future n;
" tiou will be ashamed of the boy who's