The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-12-05
FARMER RADcL1FF's "CoME-Up-r1oN. J"

It was a hot summer morning.
The harvest had been gathered into
a half dozen or more stacks. The
threshing machine and men were
pulling into the farm yard of Farmer
Radcliff. The boss said to the men
"Well, boys, it's hurry up job
here, rations are mighty poor" !"
John Radclif was in sore distress of
mind this morning, for his wife, Sa-
rah, was sick in bed right in the har-
vest time and he didn't know what
to do, for now Sarah couldn't get up
and get "somethin' to eat" for the
men.
Finally he concluded to go over
and ask neighbor Discomb's wife to
come over and help 'em out.
Mary Discomb had heard how close
healways was about getting groceries
for his family, how he wouldn't allow
his wife but ten pounds of brown su-
gar year, so she made up her mind
that for once he would get enough to
do with. She went over and after
pleasant good morning" to Sarah,
went into the kitchen to look foT
things 20 bake with. True to the re-
port she found almost nothing to do
with. She sat down with pencil and
paper and made out list of the things
she must have:
Brown sugar, 10 lbs; white sugar,
10 lbs; molasses, gal.; tea, 2 lbs. cof-
fee, 3 lbs; pepper, lb. baking pow
der, lbs; rice, 3 lbs; raisins, 2lbs.
cinnamon, "a lb.; cloves, II lb.; -four,
100 lbs; lemon extract, 4 OF. bottle
vanilla, a OF. bottle nutmeg, 2 ounces.
AS Farmer Radcliff came into the
kitchen with the pail of water she had
asked him to get, she handed him
the list and said smilingly:
There, now you hurry up to town
and get these right away so I can get
things baked for dinner"
He read the list, turned white,
then grew red in the face and said:
Why, Sarah never gets so much.
Can't you get on with half of that.
It'ud cost"
"Now, see here, John Radcliff,
never you mind what it would cost
here you've got these three big farms
all free and clear, and now if you
want me to help you you just go and
get those things, every one, as l say,
or I'll go home. You never hear
Charley Discomb say word about
such things healways gets just what
1 want"
"Well, the men are here and sup
pose I'll have to get them, but it's
awful; poor folks must get along
with less" So he went out grumb
ling to himself all the way to the barn,
hitched up old Nell to the light wagon
and rode away to the village, a half
mile distant, for the supplies.
Meanwhile Mary bathed Sarah's
face and hands and combed her hair,
making her as comfortable as posi-
Bile, and told her what she had sent
for.
"Why, for mercy's sake !" ex-
claimed Sarah he never would get
a quarter of that for me-"
well, but you see got enou gh
so there will be some left, so when
you get up and around you will have
something to start with
When he came back Mary hurried
about what she had to get for dinuer
to the satisfaction of Farmer Radcliff
who remarked: Maybe I'd better
let Sarah get things after this. And
she did.
Her oldest son went off down the
lane after the cows, merrily whistling,
and as the cheerful sounds reached
her ears, Sarah smiled and said
"This is the best harvest time I've
seen since l left home. I'm awful
glad John got his come up. ton in
time"