Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-07-15
HELPING GOULD MAKE HAY.

rvington is beautiful little nest of
well to do farmers like Jay Gould, Cy
Field and such thrifty grangers as Hank
Willard, whose place is little lower
down the river at Dobb's ferry Hank
and Cy Field change workers in haying,
but Jay keeps help enough to put in all
of his grass himself. Sometimes he used
to help Bob Hoe in haying and Bob
would help him in stacking, but since
the death of Mr.. Hoe Jay doesn't depend
much on the neighbors.
Mr.. Gould's place sits back from the
main road quite piece and has an ell:
to it. AS You drive in You see four or
five men with sheep shears trimming off
the side w'hiskers on the mall. He has
quite good lot of tillable land around
the house and he has conservatory
about the size of the Paris exposition
In this he grows quite quantity of rare
exotics, such as four o'clocks, marigolds,
bachelors buttons, ''sturshons," morn
ing glories and Johnny-jump- ups Tor
Johnny -jumps-up, rather). Mr.. Gould is
a great fioraculturist and raises his own
seeds rather than trust to the gaudy but
prevaricating catalogue of the profess
sional scotsman.
Across the main road from the house
is the hay lot. 1t covers about five and
three-fourths acres, perhaps, and so with
twenty-seven men, all willing to pitch
right in with enthusiasm, Mr. Gould is
able to get his haying out of the way in
time to give him week in town This
year he was drawn on the jury in
New York just as he was going into the
hay field. For quite while he didn't
know whether to go down and make sure
of his little old Sc a day or stick to the
haying and save the crop; but finally he
threw his scythe over his shoulder and
said, Come on, boys. They can get
other jurymen, but you would be long
while getting another man to take my
place in the bayfield,"
Later l saw by the paper that Mr..
Gould was fined 800 for non-appearance
when his name was called.
us it true" asked him yesterday at
an equestrian lunch counter, ''that the
judge fined you 800 for contempt
yes" said Mr.. Gould, removing a
fillet of Wienerwurst from his whiskers
and speaking in deep, interest bearing
notes, 81 was found 500 by the judge
as you say, but proved by one of my
hired hands that l was member of the
Tarrytown Hook and Ladder company,
and so the judge RENTED the fine
On bright June morning. when the
wood bird wakes the echoes along the
Hudson and the wren and the thrush
4 - II
the beautiful brook which sings along
past the door of Washington Irving's
quaint and queer old home, the quick
ear catches the sound of voices out be-
hind Mr.. Gould's barn. Following this
sound one comes to merry group of
Glands" clustered about a large grind
stone which has bacon rinds under the
bearings. A small boy, reeking with
perspiration, is turning the stone, while
Mr.. Gould with an old scythe may
be seen riding on the top Of it. There
are other men about who could turn the
grindstone easier than the small boy who
is turning it, but no one is hopeful
enough to turn a grindstone but boy
1t discourages man, so 1t is customary
to secure a boy to do this heart breaking
job, and generally boy who is about to
go fishing is selected. He grinds on hour
after hour, while his worms are baking
in the sun and his heart is slowly diving
in his little bosom.
Later on the merry work hands go
joyously afield. A jug containing spring
water and q small straddle bug is taken
to the lot and concealed under swath
of green grass. Mr.. Gould, wearing
pair of brown linen trousers and blue
Wammus, together with chip hat,
rolls up his sleeves so as to reveal the
raven pin feathers now slowly turning
to iron gray which adorn his brawny
arms. He then stands his scythe and
swath up where he can get at it, and
pulling a large, four pound milestone
from his pistol pocket proceeds to put q
keen wire edge on his weapon.
1t Is quite interesting to see Mr. Gould
and twenty-seven willing husbandmen
turn loose on little bunch Of grass
and wipe it out in two days. The hay
is a mixture of red top, timothy and red
clover, with ornamental hornets nests
made of papier mache in the fence cor
ners.
h
good many railroad terms of course, to-
gether with his farm slang, and most of
his orders are given to bald headed
Spaniard with an ecru plastron of Ma
genta whiskers, whose name is Torrance
McClusky.
Torrance" said Mr.. Gould the other
morning, as he swung the jug over his
arm and took drink, 81 do not know
but 1t would be cheaper next season to
hx up the old mower You see, it costs
me $10S now to NOW this grass. Then,
new scythes and swaths each year. 1854
more; $3 for whetstones, IS for orna-
mental hornets nests, and say $50 for
board of hands. That is 1928, or $3S per
acre, say $40 per ton for our grass, and
last year the stock would not eat it.
Now, the mower only needs new coun-
tersunk washers on the reverse shaft
bearing, new tender frame center pins,
new oil cups on waist bearer knees and
new hinge on whistle shaft arm. Am
rightY'
"Dade You air, Muster Cool"
"Well that will not cost over 1876 or
e4O, and will give all the moving hands