The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-22
CITY LAD TURNED FARMER,
Jimmy Reilly, Lately of Baxter Street. En-
joyinE Himself in Berks County.

READING Pa, Oct Ellie Is known Just as
plain Jimmy Reilly was formerly OF Bar Ter street,
New York. aud is now the hired boy OF the Levan
farm in Berks county. Up TO last spring he helped
his father in New York TO gather rags with a
push-cart Now he is looking into farming, with
view Of permanently changing from city to
country life. II was while riding from the Obey
Creamery to the farm that he told the odd story Of
his new experience He was driving a speedy
pair OF bay mares. and for boy of Is from the
city, with fiye-months country soourn, he
managed the team very we'll.
Nav" said the boy. don't care for stockings
just yet It's frosty mornings we're havin', but
I've got used to going unheeled. Mono of tho lads
around here wears socks just yet I'm prom
Used boots. red-toppcd boots for the coming winter
That's the style here, and I'm bound TO be in there
swim as long as I'm here. II may be a long while
because / like tho life.
II came to east Pennsylvania with fresh air
mob Of cutters. and liked II so well that made I'D
my mind to stay awhile. The first man stopped
with near Bethlehem, did not suit me, so | ran
away: got on an engine and the fireman took
me along to Reading. Inext got In with butcher
and he took me down into tho country aud got
anchored on To the Levan farm. Say, what do yo
think OF the yacht race? We only get a weekly
paper here on Saturdays, and | can't wait for
details I've got up three bets on Columbia
Oh, yes. like farmin' but tho hours arc too long
| never saw such dark nights as they have In tho
country. But I'm getting used TO sleepin' at
night and being awake by day I'm hustln'
around the barn every morning by o'clock
They've made mixer Of mo
One Of my frst lessons was To got awake at
halpast and come down and wash at the pump
Nav, it amt pump. It's cistern we'll that they
chain up the water on wheel Then we've run
min water at the barn. where we can wash Il we
Ike My next lesson was TO know how to liEh
an oil lamp and hang il up In tho COW stable with
out burning down the barn Al eI milking | haul
the milk to the creamery. At home | unlock and
give the mares hay My days work depends on
what's going on. # the men are plough for
seed wheat can harrow II they re taking out
potatoes help to ok and carry n, and then sort
en- out. rode the horses in haymaking and
nerve to get four horse team through a gate or
up 70 the barn floor did il three times
III II takes five years 10 learn all this I'll be
farmer when I'm IS with lots to learn yet like
the country best because you don't need To buy
everything you cat like 10 walk on the soft
ground I'd rather be around horses, cows and
chckcns than TO hollcr Rags and rubbcrs.' up
dirty alley You never smell gas or sewers out
here I'm weighing twcnty pounds better than
ilye months ago They say when I'm hog fed one
winter II pull up more weight than that They
mean after I've had a winters bill -of-fare on sau
sage ham, pork pudding, scrapplc and pot pud
ding get clothes and board and some spending
gun any time want it for rabbits and cartridges
whcn they're in season I've got quite winter
layout in walnuts butternuts and chestnuts
cold weather, So YOU see were we'll enough fixed
! urn in about O'Clock: sometimes it's only half
past average about nine hours, up in tho
lus suits ne They're good 10 me, and as like
- guess III stay.