The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-07-13
ON THE FARM

cxrrnur1i11ty stories OF the difficulty
Of securing hands TO harvest the
wheat crop that Il has been told that
ihe farmers have resorted to kidnap-
ping husky young men from the pas.
senger trains passing through the
State and setting them to work in
HE fields. The drafting OF labor has
not quite progressed TO that point in
Western Pennsylvania, but CORE.
zpondent in Beamyille. Allegheny
county, considered that similar con.
dition of AFFAIRS Is not SO far distant
In this region that he is impelled to
write an ailuring description OF life
on the farm that he hopes will in.
dnce migration to the agricultural
districts. at the time when it is most
needed He is indisputably correct
When he says that the country boys
are lured to the cities by the belief
that making money there is as easy
as rolling OF log and that the
young man from the city generally
does not fancy working on a farm be.
cause some one has told him that he
must get mp at 3 o'clock in the morn.
ing: milk perhaps dozen COWS. one
Of which is likely TO kick the bucket
OYER and hand him a smash In the
ribs: then chase the geese to water;
clean and harness lot OF horses
and pitch hay for the remainder Of
The day
Ny correspondent does not deny
that sil these duties may be demand
Cd Of the farmland. but he insists
lhs, there are compensations which
turn the balance in favor Of the EN-.
ploye. AS evidence he cites his own
experience stretching over several
years He hired himself out TO a
thrifty agricuiturist whom he calls
Farmer Hayseed'' and who was a
Soodnatured. kind-hearted and optI.
misfic sort OF person. This farm.
er's wife was of an equally sunny
temperament. and their family inclu.
ded son p years of age and four
girls. three OF whom We're verging
into womanhood. Il want to say"
adds the writer, that from the first
day I was treated as one of their
own OF course, there was always
something to do. In the harvest
field We always tried to do fair days
work. sometimes. but not frequently,
working little late when putting up
hay or harvesting grain. but l never
thought anything OF that. They were
all so kind to me that work was Just
like play. In case 1 desired to go
sway In the evening knew there
we're two or three horses standing
IA the stable which / could ride or
driye at any time wanted to-"
Itzs-=-ss --aHa.sa,
And that was not all the blessings
II life on that particular farm. Just
tnr1<ine yourself he continues. "in
roum in evenings where are four
lively girls and a big curly.headed
slap of boy. all full of life and jokes
as they can be. and If you'll get lone
ZONE and sleepy in crowd like that
III eat my hat. I remember that at
one time one OF the younger girls got
me excited enough to shoot at dead
rquirref which she had tied to an
apple tree, and you should have seen
the rest Of them laughing when my
gun went OFF. But sometimes the
Joke was on the other side. The
farmer and myself had started for
Pittsburg one morning with big load
af. marketing, and having had good
luck IN selling out in a short time
he started me home with the wagon
While he took car for East Pitts
burg to visit friend, not expecting
me to return home until the next
day II happened that that morning
things had gone a little wrong at
the house and in the hurry and con-
fusion Of starting he had forgotten
to kiss his wife. When arrived at
home / was asked where the farmer
was and told the mistress that he
had gone west for a change of eli
mate TheniT handed her an envelope
addressed to My Dear Wife and con-
taizing bunch of brindle cows hair.
-she looked serious at first. but
coon began to smile. had overlook
ed one thing-the farmers hair was
short and blond, while that Of the
GOV was long and fiery red. Peace
rassrestored.'
am glad to print this communi-
cation IN the hope that Il will be