San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-02-07
A WORD FOR OUR BOYS.
WHY THEY LEAVE HOME so SOON
AND nESPISE FARMING.


Death-A Mothers Story.
would like to say a word in favor of our
farmer boys, who, as a class, are sadly over
worked in the rush Of spring work or through
the hot days of harvest.
A great many farmers undertake so much
that, in order TO get the crops in in season,
everything must come to time, while the
boys, colts and everything else on the place is
pressed into service for all they are able to do
Now, if the boys have to work so hard, II
seems to me they should be allowed a shorter
day, and not be compelled to go from sun up
to sun down, as well as the older ones. They
are really to be pitied, If one stops to think Of
1t, for if anything is wanted while getting
ready to go to the field, it is, Here Tom, run
and get it, and step lively" and as soon as
that particular thing is brought, then some
thing else is wanted, and when ready to go to
work Tom has run enough to be already tired;
then, "Now see that you keep those horses go
ing" as bit of parting advice.
Then, after long days blowing, there
are the cows to be brought from the pasture.
OF course, Tom being the youngest, has that
to do, too. And after supper is over he must
milk, all of which is well enough If he was
only allowed a shorter day than the others,
and very frequently while the others stop
during the day for rest Tom must go for a
jug Of water, as boys don't get tired"
believe in their working as they are able, but
have known so many boys injured from over
work that | cannot refrain from saying a
few words in the hope that they may do a
little good Our dear, warm hearted, willing
boys, whose work we can only appreciate
when they are ill or absent; then we see how
much help they have been.
THE PLows WERE ALL BROKE"
Twas well acquainted with one boy, who
helped break up all the ground for a large
crop He was only IA and small of his age,
and he worked right along with his father,
very strong man, until the crops were in, and
the day they finished planting corn, at sup
per time, | said to him, when he came in:
"Why, George, what is the matterF' For
as long as live can never forget the tired,
detected, dropping little figure as he stood in
the door. "Oh, nothing, only tired, with
pathetic little smile. In day or two he was
taken down with fever, and for weeks lay at
deaths door simply from overwork. The
first week Of his illness he raved continually
about his work, and it was enough to break
ones heart to hear him urging his team to
their work, or his pillow would break, or 1t
was 80 hard to throw the dirt up hill" 10
kept this up for a week, never a minutes
rest night or day, and every day his voice
grew weaker, until one day he opened his
eyes, and looking around the room said 1.-THE
plows are all broke" and never mentioned
them again. But for weeks he was not out
of danger.
Now where was anything gained in that
transaction. long illness to be borne,
large doctors bill to pay; besides the care and
anxiety such an illness caused his parents.
AS he was slowly recovering, his physician
said: This illness was caused more from
overwork than anything else; now, see that
it is never done again"
Another case of boys overwork, which
know to be true was where a man set boy
of II years of age to blowing, and the only
way he could turn the plough was to put his
head under the cross pieces, between the
handles letting it rest on the back of his
neck, until he injured his spine and was taken
sick and lived only few days In the in
tense heat of harvest is another terrible time
for the boys; hard, indeed, for strong men.
MAKES MOTHERS HEART ACHE.
Last summer our own boy, stout young
fellow Of 10, who had worked from early
spring with scarcely days intermission, or
without word of complaint, side by side
with another man much older than himself,
then through four or five weeks of harvest
until day or two before it was over, came
into my room Il was i'll at the time) looking
so sad and worn that it frightened me, and
said to him: What is the matter, dear, don't
you feel well" 'Oh, ma" he said, II am
Just nearly dead, my head aches so, just look
at my hands," holding up his hands, perfectly
covered inside with callouses and blsters,
while his lips quivered and tears stood in bis
dark eyes, something that | had not seen for
years, for he is usually too proud to complain.
Yesterday my nose bled until could hardly
go. | do wish father would let me OFF this
afternoon, won't you ask him to" How it
went to my mother heart to have to tell him
that father said mo, must try and get
through while the fair weather lasts" only
mother can know, and there was good deal
of bitterness in my thoughts that afternoon
as | thought of my boy and his sorrowful
face
His father did not mean to be hard, for If
he had been sunstruck or stricken down with
illness he would then have counted his grain
Of very little worth beside the life of his boy,
but he only thought then of the work on hand
and that the resting could be done some other
time. But that is one reason why so many
boys leave their homes SO soon and SO thor
ough deSpise farming, when little good
judgment, tempered with mercy for them,
would do more good than all the stern COM
mands that were ever uttered
"Oh, if we could only live the past five
years over again" said a friend whose only
child, a promising boy of Is, had died Of con-
sumption, for know he worked too hard
He was always SO willing and we never