Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/620

614 Here, at the age of nine years, I was bound out to a farmer, named Henry Grabill, to work for my clothing and victuals until I was fifteen years old. After the expiration of that time I was to receive a free outfit and again to be free. The agreement was also that I was to be sent to school regularly every winter; but, like most of the farmers in those days, took good care not to send the poor bound or peasant boys to school more than he could help, and, in consequence of this negligence, I never got much further in my learning than the Comly's or Cobb's Spelling-book.

Here is where I passed some obscuro (gloomy) and—it also gives me pleasure to say—many agreeable and happy days.

Here is where I used to hear the robins, peewees, nightingales, whippoorwills and other birds sing in the free open air, and how often did I wish myself like the birds flying in the air—free again. As I worked day after day and year after year on the farm, I used to exclaim to some of our neighbors, that after I was free, I would never again work on a farm for the purpose of making my living; that I look for a higher destiny than ploughing, hoeing corn, harvesting, etc., which assertion, thank God, has proven true, not having worked on a farm since my freedom—hurrah!

Well do I remember Henry Grabill's farm, where, in a little coach, I used to take the children to the fields, where we used to play. Now years have gone by since I worked on Grabill's farm; all his children have grown up to man and womanhood, yet it tells me of many happy days I have passed on and around the Grabill farm.

The memories of my early life, the many pleasant enjoyments I passed in this beautiful county of Lancaster were, like other places, frequently mixed with the many suenos (dreams) during our campaign in Mexico.

In 1840, parents again moved to the Three Locks above Lewistown, Pa., from whence, as already stated, in 1846, I enlisted in the First Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, for the Mexican war.