Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-09-22
How I Became a Farmer.

the bushes, along the muddy road L
could see house ahead, and / limp
ed on toward it, though I had little
hope that the people there would re-
ceive me.
All {! how discouraged, hungry and
footsore | was that night! Every
step was torture. If / had had my
choice to live or die, / honestly think
| should have preferred the latter.
1t was a low, small, one story
house, weather beaten and dilapidat-
ed. Two of the front windows were
boarded up, and the other two had
half the glass panes broken out. Off
to the left was still more dilapidat-
ed barn, the great doors of which
were propped up. Not only the yard
fence, but all the fences in sight
were shattered and falling down.
| The place, as | saw at a second
glance, was uninhabited, and from
the forest Of tall, dry thistles before
the house door, / judged it had not
been occupied for long time. At
least, I thought, / should not be de-
MED a nights lodging here.
There was a fire place in the rear
of the room, and after shouting to
make sure that no one would object,
1 built prodigious fire, and going to
the barn fetched in armfuls Of old
straw there and made bed for my
self.
/ was hungry, yet still more tired,
and after time fell asleep.
In the spring of 1874, / was as
homeless and houseless as anybody
in Boston. / was nineteen. My
mother was dead, and my father, 8
crippled sailor, was an inmate of
charitable institution.
The previous summer l had driver
an ice cart, and had saved enough tC
carry me partly through the winter
But / could not get another job. L
there is anything in this world tha
will try ones soul, it is to hunt jol
week after week and month afte
month, and be met by that one colo
reply, "Not wanted"
e. By the month of February IN,
money was all spent.
Up to that time | had not th
least idea of leaving the city and try
ing the country, for | knew nothin:
of it. [ knew brakeman name,
Leavett on the Boston & Maine rail
road, who had an uncle living in tn
town of B, up in New Hamp
shire. This uncle, he said, needed
hand on his farm, and he thought
could get the place. He gave me
line to him, and got me free rid
on the night freight with him to ES
eter. From Exeter / walked t
B, but when l arrived the plac
was filled.
Hardly knowing what to do l wei
n on inquiring for employment and ha
been travelling two days when | can
vd to the old deserted house. Here
IS. stayed during the night.
de My waking was not CHEEKY I'll
% next morning. was miserably colc
and if / had been faint and hungl
sy before, l was hungrier now. TT
- - weather, too, had turned foggy ar
wet. Drearily, and not wltho
pain, I got up and looked about Il
it: inside of the old house. The bar
us smoked and upholstered rooms we
the picture of desolation. No wo
II" der, thought, that the previous i
'ar habitants had abandoned the plac
. Though there was little induceme
-ho to tarry longer, there was still less
me 60 on seeking work where no Of
,es wanted to hire; for the first time t
idea of staying here entered q
On, mind. This was what | though
i've Here is house and here is farl
no They are deserted. If nobody ell
wants them, why can't l have the
sh and make home of them?
=. w But whether lived there or moi
wanted something to eat, and l S
off along the road to a farmhou
If painted red. AS I drew near, cl;
out ter of forks and plates assured l
not that the folks were at breakfast. T
les outer door was ajar. | stepped
and tapped at it.
ars "Come in," some one called out.
/ entered and said, ssGood NOR
,ev ing," but no one responded.
do DO you wish to hire any help
! asked, addressing myself to t
W" man of the house.
er. ''Be you the chap that had fire
An' old house down here last night?" t
Jul ~ man inquired.
EYES," l SAID. "Do you kn.
ss who owns it?
ler "That's hard telling,'' he answere
eir "Rufus Bartlett lived there last. B
OF old man Smith in Boston had mo
's gage of it; and l guess the mortga
has got it by this time.''
for "Do you think Mr.. Smith wou
om care if | stopped there awhile?'
l "Can't say replied the man.
ned / sat awhile and then asked th
if they could sell me peck of po
nty toes, OF four quarts of corn meal, a
.un 'aa let me work in payment. 81 v
nlo work all day for either one," / off
Use ed, ssand will try and do a GO
and days work.
ing But neither the man or woman
swered. / sat 10 minutes, perhaI