Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-03
A BOYS WORK.
An Augusta Merchant Tells
Stories of His Youth.
"reminiscences Which Many Men Can
| Duplicate.
The Boy of Today Has an Easier Lot
in the World.

AclC vas u olOl lOAo III ShS OouAh ehA
"a few days since, of the trials and
tribulations which certain State
House official underwent when he was
a boy, down on the farm. 1t was a
good story. and without doubt truth
full one was picture of the scenes
which would fit the life OF many a
country boy at that time.
In fact, the story had not been out
many hours before 1t came under the
Eye of prominent Water street mer-
chant, and as he knew about the boy in
the story, he could not help being re-
minded that his own life on the farm
had not been one continuous round of
pleasure but had been strewn with
thorny places, the memory of whose
pain could not be effaced by years.
The story was not directly intended
for publication. but the merchant told
it to friend While he was picking over
a barrel of apples in a sunny corner Of
the basement. and the friend told it to
a newspaper man. so, as d natural con-
sequence. here it is.
1t was the oft repeated story Of a
mother left with a dearth of worldly
goods. and several hungry mouths to
fill, and of the struggle to keep soul and
body together. The merchant was. at
the time his father died.. a. boy of 10
years. with two brothers younger than
himself His mother worked out. and
was away from home all day. and he,
to help keep the wolf from the door,
hired out to farmer not far distant
| The man who hired him was not built
| on the plan Of those men who endoW
towns with libraries, or whose largeness
! of heart develops for them Il bust mea-
sure of over As inches, and the boy soon
| found it out.
The boys first work was hauling out
dressing and spreading it on the farm.
This was pretty rigorous work for a
youngster of 10 years. but for him ii
| was do 1t or take the consequences. and
| though his back ached and his hands
| were blistered. the work was done.
When the time came for planting. it
vas the same. and he had to get into
| the game and do the work that should
| have been done by men. And then,
when the intermediate stages of hoeing
and wedding had been passed. and the
hay had been cut and put into the barn,
then came the time when the potato
tops died and turn brown, and the pota-
toes were ready to he dug.
This was his work alone, and a ion
on which he had no assistance. After
he had been routed out of bed at 4
o'clock In the morning to help milk the
cows. and had breakfasted on mush and
milk. or perhaps on fried salt pork and
corn bread, he was sent down to the
potato patch with the admonition to
dig II or Is bushels. and haul them to
the house. also to put them in the bin
When dinner was ready, a horn would
be blown for him. The program after
dinner was the same. except that the
old horse would be taken out to haul in
the days digging of potatoes.
After the potatoes came the apple
harvest. which was about the same
amount of work. although not such a
back-breaking task. The apples all had
to be taken to the house and put into
the cellar in barrels, and the boy had to
do it all.
When his days work In the field was
done he had the COWS to milk and the
kindling wood to split. and after sup
per. in order that he might have some
recreation and at the same time i'm
prove his time, he was allowed TO cut
and string apples for drying. until 3
O'Clock, when he was sent to bed. CO.
ing to bed was not looked forward to
| with a great deal of pleasure. for
! though he was tired enough to sleep on
the floor. he dreaded bedtime because of
, his room. which was in the upper part
Of the shed. He was a timid boy. and
had heard of the terrible doings Of
tramps, and he was in constant terror
lest they should find him in his lonely
room
Winter came, and if his work had
been hard during the summer. it was
no easier when the snow had whitened
everything. One item was to cut Is
cords of wood. get it up to the house,
chop it up and put it into the shed.
Sometimes. in order to stimulate his
appetite. his master would make him
go down into the wood lot. and haul up
a load before breakfast Another pleas
ant feature was that he had to go two
miles to the postoffice, every morning.
before breakfast
1t was not to be wondered at that he