Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-12-22
BoYHooD'S HAPPY DAYS.
Why Men Dream and Wake to Weep
For Times Gone By

For Times Gone BY.
Yes, sir! Boyhood's happy days,
Of course. We know about that,
We haven't forgotten the joy OF
sleeping in an unfinished loft in
winter when our breath froze to
the bedding and we had to thaw
us out with a hot fatiron every
morning,
Morning too! We got up at 4
a. M, pitch dark, "a below zero and
still going down! We had to get
up, hustle out and feed and milk
the lowing herd, curry the rear ele-
walton of the family mule, wake
the rooster up to crow, thaw out
the pump, chop four cords Of wood
and shovel away the snow to make
room for tho sun to rise
Sometimes we went to school in
the winter-not often, only on
the days when it was too cold and
stormy to 60 outdoors. Then we
sat on a nice cool board about fifty
feet away from the stove and gayly
blew our fingers and picked icicles
from our hair. And as we sat we
listened to a wooden image with a
teachers license as he handed us
misinformation and permanently
crippled our intellects.
Then came the merry springtime |
Rise at $3.50 a. M More lowing
herd, the herd lowing to the sup
ply of fodder being low. Then the
hired man, who had hibernated in
the forest, came forth seeking
whom he might make happy with
his presence. And we, being in
need of extra joy, were allowed to
sleep with this woolly hireling, who
snored like the boom of the sad sea
waves. He was a good fellow, this
hired man. He taught us to chew
tobacco and swear. These gentle
pastimes procured us more violent
lickings than any other joy in our
whole young life.
No memory is more loaded with
joy germs than the spring crop
working. Can we ever forget the
plowing-how we held the pillow
when we had to reach up with a
pike pole to get the handles; how
we drove the old plug team with the
lines around our neck; how when
the clevis broke the mares walked
away with our frail body dragging
behind by the ears? When dark
ness came we stabbed the plugs and
went forth to milk the brindle
heifer The heifer kicked us across
the barn floor, and ain old COW oblig-
ingly kicked us back again. Then,
when the milking was over, what
fun to turn in and teach fool calf
to drink! This acting as dry nurse
to a handy legged calf was one of
the most unmixed joys Of all, We
tied the calf short, set the bucket
in front Of him, got astraddle of his
neck, stuck two fingers in his mouth
and with the other hand jammed
his head into the pail. And all the
time we were emptying out abuse
on calves in general and this lop
cared idiot in-particular. This went
on until dad came in and with low
ing patience horsewhipped us all
about the place,
Then when we had carried in the
wood, brought forty gallons Of wa
ter from the spring and eaten about
eight pounds of solid food we went
joyfully upstairs-and came down
again Immediately to breakfast.
We often dream and wake up to
weep for the days gone by when the
hay was ripe. We recall the old
swamp that always had to be cut
by hand. We recall little stones
that we rasped the edge Of our
blades on. We recall the pretty
snakes we stepped on with our bare
feet. We remember it all with SOL
emn gladness.
Well, WE'LL How it all comes
back to usl-Chicago News.