The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-03-05
WHOLE NO. 2o15.

\ OF his Duriy companion ana squeezed mn
like lover but he contented himsel
with saying. Steve Council, you'll git y
pay f'r this some day"
Don't want any pay. Ny religion
amt run on any such small bushes
principles
The wind was growing colder and th'
ground was covered w ia a white frosi
as they turned into the gate Of the Coun
eli farm, and the children came rushing
out. shouting, Papa's Gomez The,
hardly looked like the same children VII,
had sat at the table the night before
Their iorpidity, under the influence o
sunshine and Mother Council, had giver
way to a sort Of spasmodie eheerfnlness
as insects in winter revive when laid OF
the earth.
III.
Haskins worked like a iend, and hi
wife, like the accompanying woman tia
she was, bore also uncomplainingly the
most terrible burdens. They rose early
and toiled without internission till ia,
darkness fell on the plain, then tumblec
into bed, every bone and muscle aching
with fatigue, TO rise with the sun mex
morning to the same round Of the samC
ferocity Of labor
The eldest boy, now nine years old
drove team ali through the spring, plow-
ing and seeding, MIXED the cows, and
did chores innumerable, in most ways
taking the place Of man an infinitely
pathetic, but common figure-this boy
on the American farm, whore there is no
law against child labor. To see him in
his rough clothing his huge boots, and
his ragged cap, as he staggered with a
pail of water from the well, or trudged in
the cold and eheerless dawn ont into the
cold field behind his team, gave the city
bred yisitora sharp pang Of sympathetic
pain. Yet Haskins loved his boy, and
would have saved him this if he could.
but he could not
By June the first yer the result Of
such Hercnlean toll began 20 show on the
farm. The yard was cleaned up and sown
10 grass. the garden pIowed and planted,
and the house mended. Council had
given them four of his COWS.
Take EN- an run EN- on shares.
don't wan.'a milk s'many. Ike's away s
much now, SAt'd'ys an Sund'ys, can't
stand the bother, anyhow"
Other men, seeing the confidence Of
Council in the new conner, had sold him
tools on time and as he was reaIlyy an
able farmer, he soon had around him
many evidences Of MS care and thrift.
At the advice of Council ne had taken the
farm for three years, with the privilege Of
re-renting or buying at the end Of the
term.
It's a good bargain. an we want o
nail it, said Council. If you have any
kind ov crop, you can pay y'r debts, an
keep seed an bread"
The new hope which now sprang up in
the hearts of Iaskins and his wife grew
great almost as pain by the time the
wide field Of wheat began to wave and
rustic and swirl in the winds Of July Day
after day be would snatch a few moments
after supper 10 look at it.
Have We seen the wheat, to-day, Net
tie ?" he asked one night, as he rose from
supper.
No, Tim, ! amt had time
We'll, take time now. Let's 20 look
At it."
She threw an old hat on her head
romnny's hat..and looking almost pretty
IN her thin, sad way, went out with her
husband to the hedge.
Amt it grand, Net;ie? Just look at
tw
1t was grand. Level, russell here and
here, heavy headed, wide as a lake, and
iull Of multitudinous whispers and
CLEANS of health, it stretched away before
he gazers ike the tabled field Of the
10th Of gold.
Oh, think-I hope we'll have a good
,rop, Tim and oh, how good the people
nave been to Us -
Yes don't know where we'd be
day if it hadn't been f'r Council and
ais wife.
They're the best people in the world, =
aid the little woman, with great sob Of
gratitude.
Wen be in the field on Monday. for
'ure, said Haskins, gripping the rail on
he fence as if already at the work Of the
harvest.
The harvest came bounteous, glorious,
1ut the winds came and blew it into tan
Hes, and the rain matted it here and
here close to the ground, increasing the I
work Of gathering it thIeefold.
Oh, how they toiled in those glorious
lays Clothing dripping with sweat,
rms aching, flled with briars, fingers
aw and bleeding, backs broken with the I
weight Of heavy bundles, Haskins and /
lis man toiied on. Tommy drove the
while his father and hired 4
nan bound on the machine In this way
hey cut ten acres every day, and almost I
very night after supper, when the hands I
vent to bed Haskins returned to the field +.
md shocked the bound grain in the light /
# the moon Many a night he worked /
i'll his anxious wife came out to call him
n to rest and lunch.
At the same time she cooked for the I
men, took care of the children, washed /
nd ironed, MIXED the COWS at night, I
made the butter, and sometimes fed the /
lorses and waiered them, while her hus-
'and kept at the shocking. No slave in
he Roman galleys could have toiled 50 /
and lived, for this man thought 4
himself freeman, and that he was work 4
ng for his wife and babes.
When he sank into his bed with a
ieep groan Of relief, too tired to change
lis grimy, dripping clothing, he felt he /
vas getting nearer and nearer to a home
# his own, and pushing the wolf Of want I
! little further from his door.
There is no despair 90 deep as the de- 1
pair Of a homeless man or woman. To |
'oam the roads Of the country, or the /
streets Of the city, 10 feel there Is no rod I
If ground on which the feet can rest, 10
halt, weary and hungry outside Of light
d windows, and hear laughter snd song