The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-01-03
TRAINING a

poorly of. / had two little children,
an what to do | didn't know. The
mortgage was run out in a year and
a half after he died. I'd sent the
children to Johns TO school. Broth
er John wanted me to give 'em to
him, an he'd do well by 'em an |
was meditatin' on it, orful 10th to
do it. But what else could | do
with 'em when the old farm was
took away from me?
One day when the time was near
out. | was hoein' the beans side OF
the fence jinin' Caleb's corn tell
YOU. Hammer, | never felt bluer IN
my born days. I'd always lived an
worked on a farm, an couldn't do
no other kind of work 20 what was
TO become of me | didn't know.
Purity good hoein' for a green
hand SEE somebody over the
fence.
.Y~es.s,zI [, I've done enough OF
il since | was left alone. Practice
makes perfect we used to write Ia
our copy books when We were chi
dren.' and | couldn't help heavln a
sigh.
We'll. Emmerline,' SEE he, You
an me seems 10 be la the same Tx
You need a man 10 do your hoeiu
an sich, an if you're agreed, well
hitch horses an work IN double
harness. can't fud no hired help
that will do as Nancy did thinks
| to n~lvself an' You'll never find an
other wife that wIll, either 80
what do you say, E'umrrlineY
Perhaps | didn't think o noihin
for the next few minutes. IL all
flashed over me ia second what an
~unfeelin' man he'd always been.
Poor Nancy had all the housework,
an a good deal oft blonged TO him
to do. an be was stingier than an old
miser. too. | knew he was q smart
man To work, an was f~orehanded
an able to live a good deal better
than he did; an you know, Hammer,
that poor Daniel was just the oppo
site. He was an orful clever man,
wa Daniel. but was kind of shiftless
an it always worried me SO much to
hev things eoin' so slack. SEE to
myself, a body can't hey everything;
there's always some outs, an a poor
man is better'n none. SO | spake
right up, an seq |, Caleb, we've
been neighbors for many a year; |
know your failin's an suppose you
know mine an 30, if you say so,
ali right; perhaps We both might do
wuss."
Well, to make a J long story short,
we agreed TO have the business done
right off. Caleb said it was stylish
to go on a wedding tour nowadays
and as he wanted to go down to
Bangor to e about selling his wool,
and as Sarah Jane Curtis who used
to work for HIM lived about half
way we could stop there both ways,
and not cost us anything, he thought
we'd better 90. His niece, Rebecca
Gilman lives there, and we could
visit her at the same time. Brother
John lives there, too, YOU know, and
| made up my mind that I'd jist
bring home the children. And i
did but Caleb was orful sot agin
it, but seq |, of course they can
come and make a visit and let him
think so, because | wasn't ready TO
have words with him yet.
We staid about a week, and got
home along in the afternoon all
right. The next morning ! woke up
purity early, an SEE | to myself,
Courage, Emmerline; now or new
err | kept still. for Caleb was still
asnorin'; but bimeby he fetched an
unearthly snort. walked himself up,
and when he sees it gettin' daylight
he nudged me, an SEE he:
Wake up. Emmerline Emmer-
line, it's broad daylight; come, come
we shan't have any breakfast to
day.
1 was orful hard to wake, but after
awhile, a rubin nay eyes. / sez:
Got a good hot fire, amt you,
Cale,?'
'Fire?'said ne no, | never build
my fires. Nancy alters built the
fires
Did she?' SEE l, cool as a cucum-
Der; so did Daniel | turned over
and went to sleep again-or at least
he thought did.
Well, he wiggled and turned and
twisted, and he didn't move to get
up for about an hour, but when the
sun-rose aud shOne in at the window
he got up an built the fire. There
wasn't no kindlin', nor a stick OF
wood. an he had To skirmish round
and get some in.
After the fire got TO crackin' in
good shape | got up. ldidn't hurry
meme, let me tell you. / was most
dead lynn abed SO long, but says
TO myself, Ell | make the fires now,
I'll probably hey to do it in cold
weather, and | won't do it for any
man.
He was pretty sullen all day, but
4 didn't take no notice of him and
he got over it. Thenext day he was
to begin hayin', and had six men to
help him. | had to do all the work
and take care of the milk and churn-l
in, and it wasn't no fool of a Job.
1t come time To get dinner, and
there wasn't a silver of wood cut. IL
sent Johanie, Che was then about
seven years DID, out to the field to
tell Caleb | wanted him.
He came in lookin' savage enough
and wanted TO know what it was |
wanted.
SEE |, Il want some wood to
burn
WELL sez he, there's a whole
wood pile out there; help your
self
And not a stick split SEE /.
You'll hev to git a bigger stove to
burn that
We'll, it amt SIGH a hard job to
split it, SEE he Nancy used, to of
ten, when | vas bizzy."
Did she,' SEE |. 50 did Dan
iel.'
He got the wood, an sed as he
was goin' out, that he didn't want
me To call him out of the mowin'
held again, unless II was for rifles