The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-12-31
WHERE THRIFT WAS WASTE
Strange History of a Pennsylvania
Farming Family and
Their Crops.

The death not long ago or isaac
Sweigert, an aged resident Of Lancaster,
county, Pa, brought to light one Of the
most remarkable cases of unnecessary
thrift tand saving on record, says Farm
and Field.
Isaac Sweigert, with his two sisters,
had for half a century or more been en-
gagged in raising large and profitable
crops from the fertile 60 acres which
they jointly possessed, but, strange to
say, none, or very few, of the farms
products was ever sold. 1t cost the fam
Iy but little to live, and after disposing
If as much of a seasons crop as would
bring them in the necessary money to
buy their provisions and clothing, the
rest OF the harvest would be laid aside
as carefully as a miser puts by his hoard
If gold.
The family is descended from thrifty
German stock. Isaac Sweigert's par
antS we're among the first who turned
virgin forests of that section of Penn
sylyania into productive farm land.
The industry and the savings of the
parents were apparently transmitted by
heredity to the son and daughters, who
'oiled for years early and late in the
sowing. cultivation and reaping Of their
'rops, but who failed through neglect or
Indifference to realize the commercial
value of their labor.
No outside help was ever hired at the
arm, the arduous work of sowing and
Gaping being performed by the odd
rio; for the two sisters joined with
their brother and turned to every form
of labor in the fields. The brother and
sisters allowed but little sunshine to
brighten their lives. They rarely Wis
tied any of their neighbors and were sell
dom seen at any public gatherings. The
only change in the wen tenor of their
simple lives was when the brother
brought a wife to the old homestead and
the prattle of a child later lent a new
and strange atmosphere to their cheer
less home.
The family lived almost exclusively on
the products of the farm and were sell
dom seen making any purchases at the
country stores. As years passed the
brother and sisters were reputed to have
accumulated considerable wealth, but
continued their hard toll and conom-
icaI methods of living. Instead of dis
posing of their crops as formerly, they
began stacking their grain at different
points on the farm, where it was allowed
to rot by years of exposure to the ele-
nents.
Visitors to the premises will find
about Is of these stacks scattered all
over the farm, between Is and 20 being
near the house. The loss from
this source aggregates thousands of dol |
OF late the brother and sisters
we're content with thrashing and clean
ing only enough of their crops for i'm.
mediate wants, storing the surplus OF
grain each year in different rooms OF
house. The house now contains
great quantities of grain, especially the
lower story, where its great weight has
sagging of the floor and the val
liable product finds its way through
to the cellar beneath. The stor-
Ing Of this grain has proved a rich treat
to countless hordes of rats and mice,
which thrive and grow fat on it.
An examination of the numerous
Of grain showed that the once
valuable product is worthless either as
food or bedding for the stock. The loss
represented in these rotted stacks, in
the immense quantities of grain
Ii the house, and which is stated
to have also become unfit for use, would,
It is said, be sufficient for the purchase
Of n of the largest farms in Lancaster