I am really enjoying some of the stories from a 19th century autobiography.
I'll include some examples here.
Excerpts from:
Autobiography of Benjamin Hallowell
(read now on the internet archive
https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofb00hall_0/page/130)
Page 130...
In the spring of 1843, I commenced farming regularly, arranging the fields,
putting up fences, planting trees, shrubbery, etc. Brother Granville, who had
now moved to Calvert county, Maryland, to practice medicine, had planted both
an apple and a peach orchard in 1839, during his occupancy of the premises. I
now got my valued friend, Thomas P. Stabler, to assist me to plant some Seckel
pear trees, which I had purchased of him, six in number, in our front lawn,
near the house, where I had not long before planted a juniper bush, which our
kind friend, Roger Brooke, had found in the fence corner on my place, and which
is very rare in these parts. There was very little other shrubbery. One
Fourth-day morning, Margaret wanted the yard mowed, and I got my man Samuel to
mow it. I went around with him and pointed out each of the six Seckel pear
trees, and a hen that was sitting by the juniper bush, and charged him to be
particularly careful not to injure any of them, but to stop the scythe when far
enough off to leave them safe. I then went to my chamber to get ready for
meeting, and on my return in about one hour, going to see how "Sammy" came on,
I found he had cut down five of the six pear trees, and had cut the hen's head
off! I was glad it was meeting morning. I got right in my carriage, without
saying a word, being afraid to speak, for fear, as it was done, and speaking
could do no good, I might say too much.
