Evening star., 1942-10-18
Maryland Girl
Describes Busy
Day on Farm
Wheat Threshing
TIME Brings Hard
Work and Fun
Prize Contribution
BY GERTRUDE MATTHEWS, Is,

Poolesville (Md) High School.
Birds are singing outside Of my
bedroom window. They have had
fresh worms for breakfast and are
ready for a good days work.
hear a voice calling, breakfast"
and that means to climb out of bed
and get dressed quickly. A big
day of work is ahead of us, thresh-
ing wheat. All the family gathers
around the table, and Dad tells
each member the job he is to do.
When breakfast is over, the pigs
are watered, the cows fed, chickens
watered and fed, and all the morn
ing's work finished. BY that time
the dew is off the wheat well
enough for 1t to be loaded on large
wagons.
Each farmer around the neighbor-
hood has brought his mules, horses,
helpers or tractors. The farmers
wives have come with pots and pans.
They wear their aprons, as they
realize the work that has to be
done.
The farm is buzzing with the
noise OF machinery, the neighing
Of horses and the voices of workers.
A threshing machine has moved in
and is now starting up. Straw is
blowing and beginning a rick.
Women Are Busy.
Up at the house the stove is red
hot and smoke is billowing from the
chimney. Each woman is very
busy; pies and cakes are coming
out Of the oven, vegetables are being
put on, and ham is ready to slice.
The chicken is frying over a low
flame. Tables are set and dinner
time is near. Iced tea is made,
and finishing touches are put on
the food.
Now we hear chattering voices
coming up the long hill from the
barn. Wash pans are rattling and
towels are getting dirty.
The tables are now filled up with
men. They are eating in comfort.
Jokes are cracked and great laugh
ter is heard. Some can hardly eat
for the teasing.
Tables are reset five times. At
last, the cooks have a chance to
sit down and eat. All of them tell
tales OF things that happened long
ago. Talk has been going on for
quite awhile, and it is nearly time
to begin supper.
Still the women chatter and 20
out to see the straw rick that was
just started this morning. Every
one is very happy to think that God
has given His. people enough
strength to do such hard work.
Supper is ready; it hasn't taken
long to prepare, as food was left
over from dinner in great quantities
Supper Is Over.
Again We hear the chatter of
men and the stamping of heavy
feet. Water is being pumped from
the old hand pump, and soap is on
the mems foreheads and arms.
At last, supper is over, and some
OF the farmers are sitting under
the large shade trees. The women
remain in the house, "tidying up
as they say. The boys and girls are
out playing.
1t is rather late now, and the
farmers are beginning to 60 home
1t has been a hard day of work.
There Is silence in the old house
now. Lights are put out, and people
are resting tired arms and legs
Pitching wheat on a high wagon is
no easy job with the hot sun or
your back. Outside, owls are hoot-
ing, COWS are grazing on green pas
lures by the spring branch, horses
are eating hay and, in the long
fields, dogs bark continually. The
sheep are lying around the shed
young ones by their sides.
Night is nearly over, and the
sun is peeping up behind the noun
tain. Birds are chirping and feed
ing their young. Cows are mooinp
for their feed. The whole farm
is waking up.
Again I hear the birds outside of
my bedroom window and a voice
calling, Breakfast"