The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-04-05
LEARNING TO SMEAR SHEEP.

IL 10 not often that boy brought up Il
the city makes successful farmer; but
| r, member one who did, and the story o
his hrst appearance 10 our part Of the coun
try isan mu,ipg one-and points mora,
There was prospect ofa e.. = OF bal
It the Corners thar Saturday, remember
I'D my cousin Addison and had planned
to take part In IL. But things had not bee,
going on just right at the old farm. Th,
drs.wood was pot yet oil worked up, ther'
was = newly cleared lot to pile and burr
"A, and i've hundred bushels Of potatoes Il
x.t out Of the cellar. To our dissppoint
IN mt, that morning the old squire ssid:
Boys. you mustn't 20 away to-day. Work
/, 10 10 too bad shape. cant let ysu 20
You must shear forty sheep to-day.
want to get the whole flock OF to pasture
ext week.
Unlike most OF his neiehbors, the old
.qoire always shsarsd bis shtep before
turLing them cut to pasture in the spring,
ard ktp, them In the warm barn cellar for
five or six nights aiterward 80 that they
need not take cold from parting with their
n-tces.
We M not had play day since the wiz
ter school closed. have to own that there
was erumbling. But We ground four pair :
Of sheep shears, swept the barn floor, then
penned the sheep at the fsther.end Of It ard
began work. Twenty sheep apiece is .
fair stiat.
he careful about cutting them, the old
squire cautioned us; and he brought out
the tsr-pot, to touch the spots where the
skin got shipped of. For even 40 expert
shesrer will somstimes clip bit of the
she pc hide with the wool.
We shssrsd away from nine TIL twelve,
and got no more than ten apiece done ;they
we're large sheep, carrying seven or eight
pounds Of wool each. There was no pro-
spect Of going to the ball game; and after
seeing us At work in the Afternoon, the old
squire harnesssd and drove away to far
msr's place, four miles diatant, TO look -
a yoke Of working oxen be hal thought Of
buying.
We bad been at work about an hour, feel
Ing pretty glum, for We could hesr the
shouts OF the ball-players out at the Cor
aers and think Addison vas saying tha
whatever be did 10 life. be would not be 8
iarm,r--at least, that was what be almost
slways did say ct such times. Suddenly
se heard . stp on the barn H)or, and there
stood stranger.
he VS. very much Of stranger, indeed
ws saw At Elance that he did net belong
IN that part Of the couutry. Hh clothes
dtted better thas did ours. He WAS tall and
rathtr good-looking there WAS very little
,priog tan on his face, and his hands were
shits and dslscate. Yet thsre was some
hing absut him which led ~ both 10 think
he same thing, namely, that III fortune
aad overtaken him. and that he bad recsnt- |
i, seen bard timss.1ws supposed that b.
~as book agss., or had something 10
lell.
Coed afternoon! said be. Pleasant day
Oh, the days oil right, said Addison,
lhortly. what's wantedi Because u you
IRE 40 agent for anything, you Will only
caste Jour time on u.
The yoaog man laughed. No, said be. |
I'm iocking tor work. They told ne ii
b. houss below that Jos wanted TO hire
nan oa The farm here.
We'll. that's 20. replied Addisos, with .
slsaes q ne. rhs Old sQais's going to |
hire : uan, bet--do yo1 know what farm
~ork ai DID yos ssef work 90 f.rmi
No, ieplkd the ssfssser, | pever ala. 80,
am Z Ing 10 ~ farmer, asd want 4
place 10 work.
ws laughed, Oh, ! ~Ill ~sst, said be.
rd take bold Of anything.
The old sqalrei away this a.;srnoon, re-
,l,sd Addisor, svasiysls.
DO you thick thai hs eoald hire me II |
.ers 10 cal. 9aui be cane home' tbs
Iusnser asks6.
Addiaoe 81 cd ., me. No, he said, I
lsn't ttisk be would.
We want msn Who 10 ussd 10 farm
.ort. .dass, To smooth matters OYER.
Ra. esrd le.rn very quickly, urged The
ty.. ger And I'm o: afrssa Of work I'm
tronx aud well. | can do ~ much ~ any
nx-l. a Oar or tyo.