2
The Ragamuffins and General
- Washington.
PACFIC CHRISTIAN MESSENGER, FRIDAY, JULY 18, 1879.
Marcy shouted back at the little _fel­ admirable presence of mind arranged or pasture and then plow it under
A Very Queer House.
low ; “ your legs are too short!”
themselves in line along the side of when it has attained full growth,
“ Try me and see,” said. Amo«k coach and removed their hats while > keeping the surface clean and mellow
There are 'few pleasanter places in
In the month of October, 1789,-
stoutly. “ I think it’s too bad if the General stood in front of them 1 till seeding time, with harrow, culti­ Summer than the great square of Et-
General George Washington, who was
Genend Washington is to come so | Evidently amused at the very queer vator, gang-plow or some other agita­ Meidaun at Constantinople. The tall
then President of the United States,
near and I not see him as well as the ! appearance they made, at the same tor of the soil.
gray pointed monument in the middle
and residing in New Ycrk City, made rest of you. I want to see him just
time pleased with their respectful at-
like
a sentry watching over the whole
We suppose farmers have, at least,
„
a tour, attended by hiB secretaries, as much as if my legs were longer."
titgde.
place,
the white houses along either
two ends in view in plowing their
Messrs. 14ar and Jackson, to the
“ Let him go," said David Glazier,
“ Well, well, my boys, you must land and allowing it to ren ain a nak­ side, the polished pavement, the high
States of Connecticut, Massachusetts
who was only a little older than have been runningquite hard in order ed fallow, during the hottest, driest j white wal's and rounded domes, and
and New Hampshire.
Amos, but very much taller. “ He’s to see me, and have, I supposa, be­ season of the year; first to destroy all, slender towers, and cool shadowy
History tells us how in every part
a pleasant little fellow, and never ] decked yourselves with these beauti­ weeds; secondly to accumulate mate­ gateways of the Turkish mosque»
of the «country through which he complains nor whimpers when he is
ful autumn leaves in my honor. I bid rial for the sustenance of the next make a very pretty picture, indeed.
passed, the citizens embraced the op­
tired. We big boys can give him a you a very good morning.”
Halting to look around, I suddenly
crop.
portunity then offered to testify their
lift if he tuckers.” And reaching out
“ O dear me!” cried little Amos, im­
espy
a pair of yellow Turkish slippers
The views, and consequently meth­
respect and even veneration for this he took Amos by the hand, and the
pulsively, “ you are nothing but a man ods of farmers have changed some­ a good deal worn, lying at the foot of a
man, in whose character whatever boys started once more.
after all, sir !” ’.
what since forty years ago. Then we huge tree which stands alone in the
was great and good, whatever digni­
Away they went, striking out
‘'You are quite right my fine little aimed to put our teams to breaking up midst of the open space. They are not
fied and adorned human nature, was
across the fields and woods gay with fellow," said thegeneral, laughing, and the fallow as soon as possible after dung carelessly down, either, as if
ao hapily blended.
the variegated leaves, not stopping to doubtless touched by the entire boy­ they got through plowing for planting, their owner had thrown them away,
Whenever he approached a town or disturb the squirrels laying in their
ish tribute ; and, stepping forward so as to give the sod as long a time as but placed neatly side by side; just as
-village the roads were lined with the store of nuts, nor taking time to pause
patting little Amos’ head, he contin­ | possible to rot before,plowing the sec­ an orderly old gentleman might put
inhabitants who had turned out to bid in the shadowy orchards to fill their
ued : “You are right and, if I mis­ ond time, or otherwise the second his slippers beside the fire before go­
him welcome; and, in many instances, wide pockets with the fragrant fruit take not your character, I am no more
plowing would turn op tough pieces ing out. And, stranger still, although
he was escorted by local companies of that lay thickly strewn on the turf.
of a man than you will be some day. of sod that would remain on the sur­ at least half a dozen bare-footed Turks
militia from point to point.
First one and then another of the That is something for you all to re­
(who might think even an old shoe
The whole community was now boys took Amos by the hand for a member. You who are boys now are face till after the wheat was harvested,
worth
picking up) have passed by and
wrought up to the highest pitch of run, or to help him jump over the soon to be the men upon whom our and the ground plowed for another
seen
them,
not one of them ventured
crop. The farmer also has in view
excitement in regard to the presence huge fallen trees or the brooks that country must depend.”
.
to
disturb
them
in any way.
the possibility of a severe summer
of the distinguished visitor, and intercepted their way.
The boys bowed and, dodging again drouth when the dry ground would
My
Greek
companion
notices my
hardly anything else was talked of in
Just before the boys came upon under the great coach, made place for become so hard it would be almost surprise.
the towns and villages through which the turnpike, they paused under a
a party of country magnates whe were • impossible to break it.
" Aha, Effendi! Don’t you think he
We have
he was to pass.
group of maples to take breath.
approaching.
must
have been a careless fellow who
known
the
ground
to
become
so
dry
Esquire Samuel Dunton came home
“ How like ragamuffins we do look
The Willington folks were horrified and hard that it was necessary to left his slippers there ? See anything
from a trip to Norwich to Willington, with our old clothes on, and they all
when they beheld the fantastic array have a boy or man to ride the beam in odd about this tree ?”
> little township nestled among and so torn and ¡puddy
said Zebulon of lunaway boys; and the oldest places, to keep the plow in the ground
“ Nothing but that piece of board
almost hidden by the hills of eastern Crpcker. “ What will the General
grandfather of them all, who had not and we have known dry stony ground on it which I suppose covers a hol­
Connecticut, and set all the men, think of us if he should happen to
known of the little passage between to wear off a point in a single day.
low.”
women and children into a blaze of , spy ua ?”
them and General Washington, shook
•
“ That’s just it," chuckles the Greek
A summer-fallow does afford an un­
enthusiasm with the news.., that the
“ Let’s trim ourselves up," said lit­ his long cane at them and, in a trem­ usual opportunity for subduing weeds,
“
It covers a hollow, sure enough—
Presidential party were to pass over tle Amos. “ Here’s lots of bright bling voice, said:
look
here Effendi f’
such as Canada thistles, quack; dock,
the Hartford and Providence “ turn­ leaves; and there’s a thorn bush with j
“ We will settle with you, you &c., as it gives us such a chance to
He taps thrice upon the “piece of .
pike,” and would arrive at a point in plenty of thorns to fasten tffem on
young rascals, when you get home.”
board,
” which suddenly swings back
tear
them
up
by
the
roots,
break
them
\the south part of Willington, near with.”
“If you horsewhip us to death, sir,” off, burry them under, and otherwise like a door, disclosing to my astonish­
Mansfield, at about eleven o’clock next
“ Sure enough, and well thought said Timothy Pearl in reply, “you maltreat them, when the sun is the ed eyet, in the dark hollow, the long
forenoon.
of,” said Elijah Elbridge. “ Amos can’t help it that we’ve seen General hottest and the soil the driest. The blue robe, white turban, and flowing
The Willington folks immediately knows a thing or two if his legs are Washington. Besides, sir, our parents
farmer in his old methods of manag­ beard of an old Turk-
set about organizing a company to go so short."
did’nt say we should’nt come. They ing summer-fallows, evidently had
“ Peace be with you," says the old
down and join the Mansfield people in
When the boys again resumed their only thought we wouldn’t dare think some idea of mixing up the soil by gentleman in a deep hoarse voice, nod­
giving General Washington a suitable running march, decked out'from head of coming down here, we are so
his repeated plowings, as well as of ding to my companion, whom he seems
reception.
to foot with the golden and scarlet young.”
subduing the weeds, and undoubtedly to know.
Of course there was plenty of leaves, they presented a fantastic
The boys went back into the woods it did have that effect, as inverting
“ With you be peace,’’ answers the
wide awake girls and boys who sight, indeed.
and across lota as happy as any little the soil, three or four times in a little Greek. “You did’nt expect that, did
wanted to go with the older people
“ O see, see' hurrah, hurrah, hur ­ party of boys could be ; and twistinga
you, Effendi ? It’s not every day you
^nd get a glimpse -of the great man ; rah I” shouted Jeduthun Rice, as the triumphal litter of slender saplings, more than three months, must stir it
find a man living inside a tree 1
up
some,
but
we
doubt
whether
ahe
but in those days children were tired comyany of boys reached the they gaily bore little Amos on their
" Does he live here, then f
fallows
were
so
thoroughly
pulverized
taught that they were “to be seen crest of a hill that overlooked a wide shoulders back to the quiet Willington
“ To be sure he does. Didn’t you
and
intermixed
under
thu
old
system
and not heard,” and on all important expanse of the section that embraced valley, proud of him as being the only
as the new.
see his slippers at the door ? Nobody
occasions were kept rather in the portions of the towns of Ashford, boy they knew of who had been pat­
It seems to us that the modem sys­ would touch the slippers for any mon­
background.
Willington and Mansfield.
And ted on the head by General Washing­ tem of summer-fallowing accomplishes ey. They all know old Selim. He
The October morning opened bright away in the distance, coming down ton.
the ends of a fallow much better than has a snug house, after all: and don’t
and beautiful, and the Preston family the Ashford hills, the excited group
This little Amos, who was my hus­ that of our fathers. As there is no pay rent either.”
at the tannery were early astir, and saw a long line of vehicles, among band’s grandfather, took great pride
In truth, the little place is snug
with their neighbors, the Holts, the them two large coaches-and-fours, in this incident to the day of his death, intention of again inverting the sod.
Westons, the Allens, the Pearls and preceded by a company ol militia, and often related it tohisgrandchildren > breaking it may be deferred until the enough, and certainly holds a good
deal for its size. On one side is an
the Duntons, started in the early rosy their muskets glistening in the sun, Many of them, as well as some of his clover has attained its full growth to
earthern
water-jar, on the other a huge
turn
under
for
green
manure,
or,
if
the
morn, in holiday array, down the occasionally a strain of martial music own children now living, will vouch
blanket-like
cloak, which probable
clover-tops
are
considered
more
valu
­
woody Mansfield road.
reaching the erect ears of the Willing­ for the truth of this story; and the able for fodder, than manure, it may represents Mr. Selim’s whole stock of
A group of eager, active, bright­ ton boys.
old oak tree is yet stand in» in the first be mowed, and the roots turned bedding. A copper stew-pan is fixed’
faced boys were gathered on the
Soon thejt^merged into the high­ locality described.—M rs . A nnie A. under for manure. After the sod is to a spike driven into the wood,,
bridge to see them off. They watched way. And when they came to the P reston , in July Wide Awake. .
once inverted, the best of the various while just above it a small iron funnel
the cavalcade, men and women all on turnpike which intersected it and
,
_—'■------ •rr—------
inventions for stirring and pulveriz­ neatly fitted into a knot-hole of the
Summer-Fallow.
horseback, each horse carrying a man made what was known as the "Cross­
ing
the soil may be employed. None trunk, does duty as a chimney.
with a woman behind him on a “ pil­ roads," they found the Presidential
Fallowing land was practiced by of them go so deep as the plow, but Araund the sides of the hollow hang a
lion,” until it disappeared in the gray party had alighted, and were resting
the Romans and has been practiced, all work more rapidly and stir up the long pipe, a tobacco-pouch, a leathern
mist rising over Fenton river.
under the shadow of an immense oak more or less, ever since their time by soil finer.
wallet, and some other articles, all
There were a few moments of
tree near by.
every nation that has made any pre­
There is another purpose gained in' bearing marks of long service, while to
silence,j^nd the lugubrious laces of
There was quite a crowd of people tense to a knowledge of agriculture. summer-fallowing which we think is crown all, my guide Bhows me, tri-
the boys were growing longer and
gathered about General Washington Last century, it was the practice, in not generally considered, and that is umphatnly outside the door, a wooden
longer over their disappointment,
and his party, and at first the rather Europe, to raise two crops of grain and the decomposition of chemical com­ shelf with several pots of flowers—a
when Timothy Pearl, the oldest and
venturesome boys thought it would be then let the soil lie fallow, plowed and pounds in the soil for succeeding crops. garden that just matches the house.
most daring of the group, said :
impossible
for them to get a sight of cultivated but not sown, for one year. To what extent this process goes on
« I’ll tell you what it is, boys, if
Having given us this sight of hia
the
great
man.
But they persevering- That restand recuperation was con­ under the action of beat and moisture, housekeeping, the old gentleman, who
General Washington is to pass so near
us to-day, I intend to get a sight of ly edged their way along, and at last sidered necessary to prevent the too stirring up the soil, and the contact of had been standing like a statue dur­
him. Esquire Dunton said he’d likely leaching the large coach in which the rapid exhaustion of the soil, and also gases, we cannot tell, but that it must ing the whole inspection, silently
be aldng down on the cross-roads General rode, and upon the box of to subdue the weeds and grass. The accomplish a considerable we can not holds out his hand. I drop into it a
about eleven o’clock. I’m going to which sat the liveried and pompuous meaning of fallow, is plowing land, doubt. The elements of plant-food, double piastre (ten cents) and take my
run away down to the turnpike. How negro driver, boy-like they edged in thereby giving it a light, yellow color, especially the inorganic elements, are leave, reflecting that if it is good to be
so locked up in combination with oth­ content with little, this old hermit is
many of you will go with me ? If we under it, and found themselves in the the color of the fallow-deer.
Farmers sometimes speak of two er elements in the soil, that it takes certainly a bit of a hero in this way.
go*’cross lots, and run down all the immediate vicinity of General Wash­
ington. ,
kinds of fallow, naked and green, by time—centuries—to disintegrate and —D avid K er in Wide A wake.
hills, and step pretty spry the rest of
The slight movement that the coach the latter meaning any kind of crop decompose them, ond thus, when a
the way, there’s no doubt that we can
—The eighteenth anniversary of the
horses made as the boys ensconced fed off or plowed under to increase the field is lying through the summer sea­
get there in time to see him.”
Howard
Mission and Home fur Little
themselves
beneath
the
vehicle,caused
next crop, instead of being removed son in fallow, some material must be
Half a dozen of the boys caught off
Wanderers
was held at the Academy
the
General
to
look
areund
for
the
from the field. For many years in accumulating for future crops. The
their hats and, swinging them high in
of
Muxic,
which
was densely crowded
cause
of
the
disturbance,
and
present-
England and some other European question is, whether those materials
the air, gave three rousing cheers for
as
usual
on
this
anniversary.
During
he
was
looking
into
sweaty,
dusty
countries, turnips have been sown would not accumulate as rapidly. If
General and President Washington.
the p.uit year 4114,504 were expended
Little eight-years-old Amos Preston faces of these fantastically garlanded and fed off by sheep on the laud, for n«t more •», under the effects of a by the institution in -aiding outdoor *
the benefit of the following crop. In growing crop to be plowed under for poor ansi the parents of the mission
jumped up and down, swinging his boys.
A quiet smile lighted up the Presi­ this country, the clover crop is the manure, and waste much less. This children ; 145 children were admitted
tasselled hat and shouting as enthusi­
astically as his older comrades. When, dent’s countenance as he pleasantlv important green manure for plowing Question we may recur again.— Rarul during the year, and of this number
142 were placed either at business or
under to improve the land, but in the Hume.
with a “ one, two, threestart, they said:
in good homes ; 4,300 families were
“ Come out, boys, and let us see way we treat it, we can hardly call it
were off with a leap-frog jump, they
visited, and assisted rendered to 3,000
—Man may study nature, science
what
you are.”
a green fallow. We usually raise it
found him bringing up the rear.
needy
children ; 873 young men,,
and art, but he can never learn from
“ Amos, you can’t go f’ Zebadiah
The boys scrambled out and with for one or two yean for a crop of hay
women
and children were also enrolled
them all what is the soul.
in the mission Sunday school.