Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-09-29
AGRICULTURE

III itrulay County
Agricultural -oeiety
having ~.nously In.
vitcd the author OF
- this volume % aidrrss
them on the ocadon u their next an.
nual fair. he wrote the prsiden, u ths,
society A. follows
NEw YoRK. juno ~, isGj
DEIR Sm-l have the honor to ac-
Lnowlc,ly, the rs,,ipt - your letter "
the 5th inst. In which You invite me 90
deliver an address lcfore your excellent
agricultural society.
Ifccl fatierr,l. ani think Will come.
Perhaps. meanwhile. brief history of
my experience as an agriculturist will
IL aoccptable. AMI ~ that history no
doubt contains suggestions ~ value 81
III. entire agricultural community. !
have concluded % write you through
the prr~s
Ihsye bccn an honest oil farmer for
some year..
Ny farm Il Ia tho interior % Maine
Unfortunately my Lands arr eleven miles
frum the railruai. Eleven miles l. quite
q disiano. to haul immense quantities
- wheat. corn. rye and oats; but ~ ]
hay'n't any 30 haul. DO not, after all.
suffer much on that account
Ny farm u more especially q gras
farm.
Ny ncighbors toll me % at fir,. and
~ an evidence that they were sincere In
that opinion, they turn~i thsir oows on
to II tho moment I went oG "lectur-
ing"
Thess cows are now quite fat take
pride In thc.s cows, In fact, AMI am glad
own q gra~- farm.
Two years ago triei she~p raising.
bought fifty lambs and turn~,i thrm
loo-s on my broad anil BEAUTIFUL acr,s.
IL was pleasant on bright mornings a.
stroll leisurrly out on a. the farm In my
dr-sing gown. with q cigar In my
mouth. ani watch those innoccnt little
lambs a. they danced gayly o'er the hill.
side. Watching their saucy caTs'rS ~
minded me 81 oapcr sauce, and 70 oc-
curr~i 10 me should have some very
fine eating WHEN they grew mp To b.
"muttOns.-
Ny gentle shepherd. Mr. III Perkins,
saii. I'VE must have somo shsphrd
dogs"
had no very precise idea A. 10 what
shepherd dogs were. but ! assumed
rather profound look. and said;
I'VE must, Eli Isroke 10 you about
thi. some time agor'
wrOts 10 my old freud. Mr.. Dexter
II. Follett. % Bo~ton. for two shepherd
DOG. Mr. D. u not an honest oil farmer
him-rlf. bat thought be knew about
shepherd dogs He kindly fOr-cok far
mOrr important business % aocommo-
date. ami the dogs came forthwith.
They were splendid crcaturrs-snuf ool-
ord. hazel eyel. long tailcd and shapely
jaw~i.
We lei them proudly 90 thu helis
Turn them in, Eli. said.
I'll tunnel them In.
They went In At on. and killed twcn.
" ot my best lambs In about four min
utss and half.
My friend hal made trif'ing mistake
In the brossi % these dogs.
Thes. dogs were not partial To shsep
Eli Perkins was astoaiShci and Oh
seryed
"waali did you ever
| certainly never had.
Their. were pools - blood on the
grcensward. and fragments Of wool and
raw lamb chops lay round In confnssi
heaps.
The dogs would have been seni 20 Bos-
ton that night. had they not suddenly
died that afternoon % n throat disiem-
Ter. II wasn't \ swelling % the throat.
IL wasn't diphtheriA u was a violent
opening of the throat, extending from
ear to ear.
Thus clo-s their life stories Thus
ended their interesting tais
1 failed ~ . raiser Of lambs AZ n
shsepist, was not success.
Last summer Mr. Perkins aid. ~
think We better cut some grass this sea-
sOn. cir.
We cut some grass.
To me the new nown hay l. very
sweet and nice. The brilliant George
Arnoli sings about IL. In BEAUTIFUL verse.
down In jersey every summer - dos
the brilliant Adrch. at Portsmouth, N.
n. And y.t doubt II either Of thee
men knows the price of ton of hay To
day. But new mOwn hay IL really
fine thing. II Is good for man and
beast.
We hircd four honest farmers 10 assist
us, ami led them gayly to the mead
ows.
Twas going 10 NOV, myself.
I saw the sturdy PEASANTS 20 round
onceere Idippsd my fashing scythe into
the tall green graz
Are you rcadyr' said L Prrkins
II AIN berr
"Then follow Us"
followed them.
Followed them rather too closely evi-
IDENTIFY. for white haired old man, who
Immediately followed Mr.. Perkins. call
ed upon us 10 halt Thrn In low. hrrn
voice he aid 10 his son. who was jusi
ahead Of me: "John. change places with
me. I hAint got long 70 live, anyhow
Yonder bcrryin' ground VIII soon have
tbose old bones. and it's no mattel
whether I'm carried there with one les
o6 and terrible gasbes In the other o.
noti but you. John-you are young.
The old man changed places with hi
sou. A smile Of calm resignation lit al
his wrinkled face ~ he said. snow, ar
am readyr'
"what mean you, old mann ! said-
IL mean that II you continner .
branish that blade - you have bee'
brsnYshin' 10, you'll alaAh ~ out o
us before were hour older'"
There was some reasoa mingled wit
this white haired old peasants profan
ity. Il was true that bad twice Q.
csped moving Oh his sons leg. and n
father VA perhaps naturally alarmed.
II Iwcut and at down under tree. o
. tss~---ss. a.. sxxv Hfa