Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1893-04-26
paties Of Me aHlred NAM

Gus and varied as are those of that rura
individual known socially as the "hired
man." and slatistically as the farm
hand" The successful hired mau-ihe
one who is never ont Of a Job, and who
nay look forward to standing chance
some day OF bee ,ming Secretary OF Az
| ricuIture-must b. able to turn with
equal facility to cutting the children
iar or breaking hot-headed span oi
mule colts to drive. He must know how
% pack the family pork barrel, and be
able to split up second-growth ironwoad
with dull axe understand mending a
harness aud cleaning a clock, and have
40 objections TO making a ho,-bed or dig
.ing fifty foot well. Indeed, that there
IRE any limits whatever to the accom-
,Iishments which the hirel man should
mssess has never been established, tho
| lawsuit which mas just crept into the
| West Virginia lower courts bids fair tc
mark out at least detached bit ol
boundary.
One SiIas Dudley has sued a Green
,rier County farmer named Pepper for
light dollars alleged to be due him. 1t
ppears that the plaintiff was working
,r the defendant by the month. HI
uiies. of curse. incluled everythin4
Known 10 the asricultural mia oi men.
from turning the churn AMI taking care
Il the baby rainy days To blasting our
uumps aud chasing tramps off the farm
.ith pitchfork when the weather wa
,leasant. One day while at White SUI
Ihur Springs the farmer bought do-
the breed of this animal seems u b
-lmewhai in doubt. He had the size ri
he masIif, with the fore legs aud lower
,w of the bulI-,log His eyes aud ear
and the general expression Of his face re
minded the awe-stricken beholder ot tn
bloodhound 1t is pro able. or at lra,'
possible, that the key to his breed had
been in his TAIL but this member, unfor-
unately for students of natural history,
had been cut off and lost early in 'iie.-
Pepper gave Il jack knife, a plug ut to
,acco, and forty cents in money for th'
BEAST, aud tied him under the wagon aud
ed him home.
After Pepper reached home that nigh
md the first flush Of the transaction had
passed, he began to have mi>giving-
,bout his purcha.e. II don't believe
hat dog has got no grit" he observed t
;iIas, as they sat by the stove after sup
,er. Then he took lantern and Went
,ut into the shed and looked at the All
nal again. He found him standing sol
} snnly in the middle of the floor. with
lis feet braced aud his eyes on the ouI
'ide door. THAT air dog is weak" re
marked Pepper as he returned to th'
ire. He lacks sand. paid too much
or him. He might do for pet, but
What | wanted was n watchdog with
'ome pop about him." Silas was inclin
ID TO think that the dog was all right
out could not convince the other. After
the third visit OF inspection the dogow
r sat down and drew long brea h.
Isl, he said, gloomiIy, "the critters a
rabbit. don't believe he'd fight hoss'
dy." Afer a moments thought he
frightened up and said II tell YOU
what we'll do. Well try that air dog.
You put on them old clothes Of mine,
md come to the back door and ask for
;old vic!uals in strange voice, and I'll
,c him on, and you'll see that he's a
coward" Silas did not readily take to
the idea, but finally put on. the clothes
under protest, and went around to the
back door. Pepper was at the other
.loor with the lantern. The dog still
stood in the middle Of the floor, watch
ing the outside door. There was an un-
easy movement about his forward legs,
and his stub tail pointed straight up
His lower lip moved nervousy. and his
eyelids dropped and showed that his eyes
were red. He held his head low, and
looked as big as a yearling calf as he
stood there in the uncertain light. Silas
pushed open the door couple Of inches,
and started to speak in his disguised
voice Then he saw the dog. The hair
On the animals back was standing up.
and he growled fiercely far down in his
throat. "Sic him. Tige sic him T. shout
ed Pepper. "Come on, 81 he wont
touch you" The dog began to walk for
ward with stifflegged movement. 81.
las shut the. door and disappeared. A
moment later the two men met in the
front room, and wordy encounter fol
lowed. which ended by the farmer dis
charging the man for alleged incompeten-
CIV in refusing to try the dogs courage.