Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-11-29
THE BARLOW" FARM.

BY WILLIAM SMITH SAUNDERsoN.
II was once quite common IN our
country towns for farmer who
was advanced IN years, had grown
iufrm, aud who was going down
] the last Till, as 1t were, aud who
/ had little or nothing beside his
farm to cOLvey the farm to some
one, usually to son, with the pro
viSo that himself and wife should
have a home as long as they lived.
That the custom has been almost
done away with Is 4 blessing, for it
requires bat a glance through tie
law reports of many States to find
controversies that in nearly every
iuStaLce led to the total breaking
Up Of happy homes, as the result OF
The settlements which were &C
cAslon, d 5y such an arrangement.
Fifty years ago there hved in
one Of the inland towns OF MasSa-
cia>ettS a successful farmer, SIm
uel Barlow 10y name. lie not alcne
carried on his farm but was the
village blacksmith, aud III addition
had a small mill in which he did
some simple wood work. His ap-
pearaLce was unique, and he would
never be taken for farmer or IA
blacksmith. lie was small Of stat
u'e, especially particular about his
dress, and IN his bearing was exceed
iugly formal and precise. He was
Onr Of the best of friends and neigh
bOrS, was hig Is est, emed through
Oat lhe town, but Was reserved and
almost cold in his manner and
rare y ever smiled.
1t was not all at once that Mr..
Barlow lost what property ne had
outside OF the farm, IN bank stocks
aud in savings banks, but it was
largely through a probate bond
which he had signed as surety for
neighbOr years and years before,
and had almost forgotten. Nr.
Barlow paid the bond without a
word OF complaint, and that LETT
HIN bin with absolutely nothing
except the farm.
In the meantime his good wifa
died, his health began to fail, and
together with the reyeIses of for.
tune, the losses Of money prey ed
on his mind and he barely escaped
a flt Of sickness. Then it was th t
the old man had to ad NIT to himself,
hard as 1t was to do so, that he
had no longer health, strength or
heart to take up The burdens of the
farm and MIL which was always
counted as a part Of the farm.
Moreover, the old house had be.
come lonesome place, with no
one bat old Aanty Jane, his house
keeper, aud her foolish son.
Twenty miles away, in an ad
/ joinlng manufacturing village. the
centre of a scattered farming popu-
laliOn, lived JOHN B ,rlOw, the
farmers only son and chi Id. JOho
was thirty, of much the same dis
position as bis father, although
physically greatly unhke him. He
was large, strong aud robust. lie
had worked at home on the farm,
in the shop and in the mill until
his marriage. Since that time,
aud for sbeut six years, he had
Oeen keeping a stOre IN the village
| where he lived.
One cold, bright day in March,
while John Was seated at a high
desk Busy pouring over book Of
accounts the store door opened aud
Barlow senior stepped In, and
father snd sou we're face to face for
the first time in many years
WAY, its yon, father said JOhn,
C )ming q Iickly fro IL behind the
counter with outstretched han1.
L am right glad to s1e you. Let
me have your bag and umbrella.
] Come and sit down by the stove.
Say here for feg minutes, till
noon, and then we'll 60 up to the
house and see the folks
The old man n1dded a quiet as.
sent. i may as we'll tell my errand
now said he. Somebody's got 10
take hold and carry en- the farm.
Ny days for work are oyer.
thought perhaps yen aud Juiii
would feel like coming. What witt