26 Our Farming. 



tight place. Far be it from me to claim even half the honor of 

 final success. Actually, I have known her many a time to go to 

 town with a list of things we must have, and come back with al- 

 most nothing, particularly for herself. She has always been 

 consulted with and has known just how we stood. She would 

 say when returning with little : ' ' Things cost so much ! I believe 

 we can get along without this or that a little longer." A 

 very little leak then would have sunk the ship. Do you think it 

 strange that as soon as financial circumstances would possibly 

 permit, that faithful partner has hardly had a desire that was not 

 gratified that I built her a new house before I did myself a barn, 

 that the farming was so arranged as to take the least possible 

 work into the house, and make life as easy and comfortable to her 

 as we well could ! Who cheered me on when it seemed like folly 

 to attempt to hold out longer? Who did her own work in the 

 house and taking the babies with her was always ready to milk, 

 load hay, or do anything on earth that she could to help along, 

 and always cheerfully and willingly ? Who, when success began 

 to come, quietly put on the brakes, as my more extravagant 

 nature was inclined to run away with me, and kept me level- 

 headed ? And still, friends, have not most of you got just such 

 faithful wives at the head of your household matters? Do not 

 fail to fully appreciate them. The writer is not the only farmer 

 that owes his success largely to his life-companion, not by any 

 means. 



But I was not a one-horse farmer as far as number of horses kept 

 was concerned, except for the first winter. It seemed necessary 

 to have a team in the spring \vhen plowing time came. A kind 

 relative let us have a horse a headstrong, nervous animal that 

 detested farm work. He was not used on the farm where he was 

 kept, simply because they were afraid of him. He was good on 

 the road, but for farming w r ell, the first time we hitched him up 

 with old Bill we drew up a load of wood. The tenant of the 

 season before was with me. Tom sprang into it and jumped, 

 getting just as far ahead as he could and testing my strength and 

 the lines to the utmost. I was much relieved when the house 

 was reached, and the tenant helped matters by asking: "How 

 much farming do you expect to do wdth that animal ?" Well, it 

 was that one or none, and I got the tenant and a friend to help 

 me start him on the plow. In spite of us all he came very near 

 getting away. He rushed ahead with the plow and old Bill and 

 myself on the lines, and a man hold of his head, as though there 

 was only a buggy holding him back. Although we did our best, 

 that first furrow (we were trying to mark out a land) flew nearly 

 a rod. That was the kind of a team I had to work with, to learn 

 to plow with, for I had never held a plow before. May no reader 

 ever have such a time as I did, touching up one slow, steady 

 horse, and holding onto the other for dear life, and wrestling 



