My Boyhood and Youth 



hoeing. All the ground had to be hoed over for 

 the first few years, before father bought culti- 

 vators or small weed-covering ploughs, and 

 we were not allowed a moment's rest. The 

 hoes had to be kept working up and down as 

 steadily as if they were moved by machinery. 

 Ploughing for winter wheat was comparatively 

 easy, when we walked barefooted in the fur- 

 rows, while the fine autumn tints kindled in 

 the woods, and the hillsides were covered with 

 golden pumpkins. 



In summer the chores were grinding scythes, 

 feeding the animals, chopping stove-wood, and 

 carrying water up the hill from the spring on 

 the edge of the meadow, etc. Then breakfast, 

 and to the harvest or hay-field. I was foolishly 

 ambitious to be first in mowing and cradling, 

 and by the time I was sixteen led all the hired 

 men. An hour was allowed at noon for dinner 

 and more chores. We stayed in the field until 

 dark, then supper, and still more chores, family 

 worship, and to bed; making altogether a hard, 

 sweaty day of about sixteen or seventeen hours. 

 [ 202 ] 



