Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1914-07-10

/ III Ills SHACK " anchored the
cayuse in the stall and opened UP
with a broadside OF who's-who
and how's how queries.
:" Just close the gap under your
nose" said Big-A-little-a-ron, and
come in the house and see the wife
and kiddies. Then well tell YOU
how it happened"
The story Of this little family
is worth setting up in silver type.
They had lived in cities and towns.
worse luck. He had been a mule
skinner, as we call il; had a couple
OF teams and was doing any kind
OF work that came to baud. He
had little cottage in a northern
town and got a chance TO trace It
for the equity in a forty-acre tract
near Gooding. He packed up what
stuff they had left and, with the
five tOddlers, two teams. a COW and
a dozen chickens, made the long
hike. They arrived on the Job
April Il. 1910, with the above
named goods and chattels and Just
fifteen iron pieces Of the standard
coin of thesrealm.
Mrs. s. said. pointing to where
now stands a fine, substantial
granary: That is where I first be-
gan housekeeping. starting by grab
bing an AK and cutting off the sage
brush to clear a space for our beds
the first night. Aaron was looking
after the stock. 1t is mighty pleas
ant, Bill. to think OF that first night
and the first meal I prepared out in
the open with fire OF sagebrush
under kettle OF spuds. Now we
own this piece of ground clear
down 10 the center Of the earth
and our crops get better and better
from year 10 year.
The next forty was owned By a
young doctor who gave Aaron the
job of building his fences. check
gates. and so on. which brought
him sixty-nine dollars. With this
he built twelve-by-twelve shack
and then started in grubbing his
own land. One OF the horses got
killed, so he hitched up the other
three and went at it. He would
swing the grub ak for a few days
and then pillow. until he had broken
up enough land and prepared it for
three acres OF spuds. grain. garden
truck, and all the incidentals to
keep down the cost OF living.
Then he took the contract 10 II
rigate and harvest the hay on the
doctors forty. and for this he got
500. While his wife piloted the
water around that field OF alfalfa
Aaron continued to work on his
own land. Mrs. s. said that if anv
woman needed exercise in the
tango dip or glide she had better
tackle the irrigating game TO get in
condition and have an appetite for
sleep when night came.
Well, the alfalfa sure did go
some on that young doctors piece.
He got a hundred tons OF hay
which he sold for 5000. This was
from the first seasons seeding. and
goes to show what Idaho soil with
the right kind OF muscle. our ia
nous climate. and a never-failing
water supply will do.
In the spring Of 1911 both M.
and Mrs. s. got into the collar and
the way they made things hum was
a caution. They finished breaking
up their land and planted seven
teen acres OF alfalfa. This cut
seventeen tons of hay. Twelve
acres OF oats netted 80 bushels 4:
five acres OF wheat los bushels.
and they got 800 bushels OF spuds
from three acres. Moreover and
plus, they have set ont five acres
to orchard.
This put them in shape to buy
some brood sows, a few pieces Of !
machinery and to pay their bills
They opened up the year 1912 with /
a full head Of steam.
Bill" said Big-A-little-a-ron.
I'VE just sit down sometimes ani
hold hands and congratulate our
selves that we don't have to run to |
the corner grocery and buy things |
at a nickel a throw. Nothing do /
ing with that city life for us any 1
more. Why, if the people in the /
cities would just get a hump on /
themselves. break away from the /
old rut, get out in the country, grab I
a piece Of land and go at it with
their whole hearts and souls they
would win independence before
they got cricks in their backs"