Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-09-13
Old Times.

Otu 4 AufNSse &
nj. Reuisfer-The harvest is over
md the rainy season has come. ana as
sit this morning looking over the beau
Iful hills and mountains covered with
the rich green foliage, my tioughts go
back to my boyhood days among the
New England hills. How all those
scenes will come up after so many years
Of busy life and how different things
are now from sixty years ago. before
we had any Of the modern helps 20
tighten the burden Of life. How long
the harvesting of all the crops lasted
when all the grain was cut with q
sickle and all the grass cut with the
scythe. What tedious time we lad
in those days, aud do you wonder SO
many boys were spoiled that would
have made good fsrmers? When ]
look back to those days and see in my
minds eye bow the Toys were taught
to work with some old sort OF tools, II
max es me feel sad. If were to live to
be hundred years old I don't think /
should ever forget. the first time my
father set me to NOV in the haying Held.
T had never worked out in the hot sun
but very little; had always worked IN
the house with mother. Father had q
very large crop of hay to cut that year
and hands were not to be had, so one
fine morning he said. guess you will
have to learn to work out of doors in
the meadow. My father and my older
brothers had each good new scythe
ground up sharp; but for me he took
an old worn out scythe and fixed It aud
said, THAT is good enough for boy TO
learn with.' When we reached the
meadow my father aud brothers all
started in with their new keen seythes
and left me to work out my own q
almost said salvation) swath. did as
saw tive others do as near as I could,
but that old worn out thing would not
cut but just tore the grass Oft. and u
was hot; and to make matters worse
those way ahead of me would stop and
look back at me and call, Come aheadn
tell you, Mr.. Editor, it did not take
me long to get very mad, and jus
| took that old scythe and with all my
might stuck it in the ground, poin
first, and I doubled that old thing a
crooked as q rams horn. Father cam'
back and said, Take care, boy"
said. "You give boy an old, worn ou
tool and expect him to keep up witt
old mowers and do good work? Civ
me new scythe like the other boy
and I will learn to mow." That moo
he went to the store and bought me
good, new scythe. and 1t was not man
years before I led the team and cut tn
double.swath. All, since that day
have seen some very happy days
the meadow with good gang OF NOV
ers, and had some good times seeiu
who could cut the oleanest. wldes
smoothegt swath. used to thin
there was no pIeasanter work IN u
world than to take the lead on plea
ant morning of gang of six or eigf
good mowers, as each and all kel
stroke with the leader. What q plea
ant sound as the keen scythes can
out with q sweet, sweet! How exhi
Grating that sound always was to m
And when all have reached the end
the meadow each mower with n
milestone keeps time sharpening u
scythes. What jolly times we ha'
Then at half past ten o'clock all to
down under some friendly shat
around the lunch basket and buck
of good cool spring water, and as cae
one helps himself to bread, well butte
ed, with piece of rich, home mat
cheese, followed with gingerbrea
doughnuts, cookeys, etc., mixed
with joke and laughter. What hapI
times after lunch is over. Some OF q
! poorest mowers are detailed to 81
swaths if there are no boys present
do that part of the work, while q
rest Of the men keep on moving un
the horn blows for dinner.
What dinners! a long table load
with all the good things good moth
and pretty sisters can think OF, 81
how each one is supplied with ever
. thing on the table. O, who would
be farmer boy? After the dinner
lover and an hours rest, the hant
some with rakes, raking the hay IN
Hong wind rows, some shocking, VIII
the teams follow, with two men t
team, haul the hay in the barn; and
the days follow each other in raj
succession until the harvest Is ov'
lon the last day, when the last load
in the barn. do we find what real b,
piness il, and at night we all sing
harvest home. On the morrow we
J. all to go to Square Pond, lake up
the mountains about three miles fr'
our home, and as the name implies
lake Is square and a mile each w
What good times we are to have.
y best team hitched to the largest /
wagon, the bed filled with fresh q
hay, with the big baskets OF app,
pears, peaches, bread and batter. .chet
doughnuts, gingerbread, pickles !
= everything you could think OF tina
good; and each takes lis place in
wagon, with fishing pole and tackl
:. all ready. ard we are off w
smooth roads we pass over as We v
our way up through the gulf W.
. the Il al cut IN tile side us the mo