Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1894-05-04

&spsras cupied by the Tin
MSSsSSsISA ker County poor
ESZSN&a.SSNAN3@ farm. 1t sloped to
%&MSMS%ax@ the north, to be
A%~~' sure, and that did
not add to the comfort of such paup-
ers as were able to work in winter, but
in compensation it had splendid woods
and fine lake front. The lake was
deep and clear and dotted with small
islands. On the opposite slope, and
half hidden by noble trees, were the
outlines of country mansion; and in
the distance were blue hills which
might almost be mistaken for mount.
aims.
But it was not on account of natural
beauty that the Tinker County poor
farm had been selected. The town of
ficers were hard, practical men and did
not care for such things. When it was
decided that it would be for the towns
advantage to farm its paupers instead
of selling them at auction, the select
men looked arounl for a suitable
place.
/. The Bowen farm had the reputation
of being the poorest in the town. 1t
was rocky and unproductive, and had
already ruined several small farmers
who had been imprudent enough to
trust their little to its keeping. OF
late both purchasers and renters had
given it wide berth.
But it was just the place the select
men were looking for. 1t was off the
highway and was cheap. They ap-
preached the owner cautiously and
found that he was anxious to sell 80
much so that he accepted their first
offer. The next thing WAS 80 rent the
farm and the paupers to the lowest
bidder. This happened to be Sim
Pratt, man who had always been an
unsuccessful farmer, because he was
too stingy to become prosperous one
He was not a bad man; but he was
poor and covetous and narrow minded,
and all these pointed to questionable
future for the paupers. And rs the
years went by all the indications were
fulfilled.
Pratt had been keeper of the farm
for ten years now, and in all this time
there had been found no one to under
bid him. The pay was small, the farm
poor and the paupers not very desir-
able, even to men of dull sensibilities.
No one tried to succeed hlm.
But Pratt liked to rule Before his
advent to power he had never been
able to hire help. Now he was autocrat
of small colony. In few months
he had fixed upon the maximum work
which could be had from each of the
paupers. Some were able-bodied,
some could only work part of the time,
some could not work at all. But, as n
rule, it was the able-bodied who were
the hardest to manage it was their
laziness which had brought them to
the town farm.
Tinker County had little money to
spare lts paupers for clothing, and
Pratt and the farm needed all the
work they could give. Consequently
there was much suffering during the
winter. When it was too cold to mend
stone walls and fences, the strongest
were sent TO the beach after seaweed.
All the rest who were able to work
were put into the barn and sheds to
stamp out beans and shell corn. 1t
was nothing unusual for pauper to
die, and the town physician sometimes
expressed his views very decidedly.
But IA physician's views had little
weight with the practical guardian of
the county's finances.
One afternoon several of the old
men were at work in the lower field.
The wind was sharp and cut through
their clothing until their teeth chat
tered with tue bitter cold. All of
them were thinly clad; and at last a
little, round-shouldered man began to
finger neryously at his coat which was
already bu toned
81 don't call this much charity, he
grumbled, discontentedly, Seems
like the town might let us have over
coats soch pesky cold weather. What
say, SquireY"
The man addressed did not answer
Lifting heavy forkful OF seawoek he
spread II thinly over the ground. As
ho returned for another load the little
man went on, peevishly
''Seems like folks might he sosner-
hls IA a place like this. 'lain't much
we've got ter live ter, anyway. Jest
packed away like o,d furnitoor ia a
garret, an good radiance when the
undertaken brings hia box. Seems
like wo might pick what eFambs we
could outen the eohwehs 20
The other man did not seem g. hear
Again his tafkfHi of aeaseei sas
spreal, AMI he was reaehiuG fof more
when the little man stepped "a front
II him
Cant 81 answer h mans question +
he askod irfitahlg "ipm aiu.t a.
maFs drei I ha. aa' im mitiu siek
an llfod of It. nora I've been fuam
"a eith Yos mafe q tsn feaf. So fau
aauil .ra.. !. ssas -ss.k. As G.ss ...sst.E