The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-27
BILLY UNISON ON A FARM.
4 New York East Side Boys Two
Weeks in the Country.

Billy Unison Is one of a two carload
lot Of young Americans from the Bowery
and adjacent streets of New York that
have been soi0urning on east Pennsyl-
wanna farms the past two weeks. Billy
took his first trip ON a Reading HallFodo
coal train down The Schuylkll Valley
this week The brakeman found hlm,
black and grimy. on a sondo.a OF pea
coal lying on tho broad OF his pack
knees elevated and crossed. smoking o.
cigarette and looking up I'm TO the SKY.
"What are you doing herc? asked tne
iailroador.
"Just seeing how millionaire sleeps
and smokes ON palace cars, s"id inc
youngster. sitting up
You're a runaway from home saia
the brakeman.
"No. boss 1 amt 1 stop up al Eli
Gruber's. near the Lecsport crossing.
Been there nearly two weeks ! jumped
your train for ride down the valley
and I'm going back again TINS after
noon"
homef'
New York. They brought US IN the
country for an airing.
80 you want TO get back
"Oh. can a duck swim
Better stay out m the country and
grow up a farmer
Amt got no farm, so what's the use
Of being a farmer
you might own one some day. SAID
me brakeman.
Come Off. boss I'd have TO save fifty
years for farm, and then I'd be ready
TO cash in"
But you like the country
beautiful" said the lad with sar-
casm. Il ike TO hear the Kitty Catha-
rines O1atydids). at night, and then The
dogs bark until morning. oh, yes, / IKE
IT, with a string 10 it,
How early do you get up
"I'p at 5. and help 10 milk. Drive 10
the creamery two miles. Hold the morse
until the old man gets back. stop al me
tavern. | water SO does the boss.
give the horse pump stun and he takes
his straight. They have fve-cent bitters
in this valley Get home for breakfast az
about 7 o'clock. Unhitch Bread ana
coffee and fried potatoes with onions or
bacon. Wash out milk cans. SCI EN- lh
the sun. Clean out stables, ptch cow"
hay. run about the farm eat piuins OF
peaches. help in garden, pick beans. peel
notatoes hunt eggs. on, can't tell you
all the bill Of fare where stop. IN
hungry. though, when dinner comes
Grub is good l help to make FIRE IN the
kitchen every meal. ] carry the Woo1
and help TO fn the two big iron pots
for hot water on the back OF the stove.
| helped in the barn and on the stacks
when they took i'm the grain. Some 9th
er fellows can come out and take a
hand when they haul in the oats ana
corn
THE best thing about corn Is the cat
ing of the young ears. They're good
people I'm with. Don't make me work
hard. Just exercise me. They'd give
me a dollar or two month ana board
and clothes II I'd stay. but It's TOO lone
some You don't hear anything. All the
bows are too busy and they live miles
away. They only get together once In
while. Two boys is big crowd IN the
country. Then they sit on the fence and
obey and talk about cows and hens.
They don't know nothing that / know.
and don't know nothing that they
know. and so We swap information and
nass away the time. But I've got stoui-
81. and redder and teel bully See
been watching your trains rnA Down
tbroagh the farm and made 40 rl
mind 10 see what was n d. 80 i'oN
INFO everything nereabouts and Ftt
or this trip until the llst tnite. 80. i
ycu don't mind. I'm 30 iurt1e4'
..Retter crawl down int" the catoofe.
said the brakeman. "Its out OF the sun
there"
nc. Ia rather be M here and get the
breeze. VIII this wash onY
soar and water will take or The coal
dirt" said the brakeman. what do you
do AT home?'
sell papers. run brands. help me bro
Their. ana carry wash.
'Who fcr?'
Me mother washes Tor lcrgshoremen."
The brakeman's duties called him
away. The train laborei and creaked
and groaned down the valley at twrn-
~ miles an hour. rhe country was
beautifully green Just after the rain. and
the air was cool and pure.
The crew soon knew a New Yorker was
on the train When the cars leyelled out