IMH 75:2 163-164

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

1881

Monday, January 24th.

With an accompaniment of considerable jaw the wagon bed
was placed and fastened on the sled a "fixin" made to prevent
their getting out at the top and then two of the fattening hogs,
and the "stray" frequently mentioned before, were taken across,
put into the cow-barn, the sled was backed up to the door and
the hogs driven in. The horses were hitched to the sled and
Father and I went to town with it. We had no bad luck. The
two fat hogs averaged 290, "Dan" 190. It was late before we got
started back. I spent a great part of the time in Uncle Rip's
office. Mother and Alvin washed. Mr Wm Elmora(45) was
here in the forenoon soliciting subscriptions to the "Home and
Fireside." with heavy inducements in the way of chromos. No
subscribers gained here. Just after we got back Jake Shipley
and Sol Fultz, hucksters, came and bought twelve of our chic­
kens. The day was cloudy and cold with flurries of snow occa­
sionally by way of variety

.

Teaching notes: Evidently they were taking the hogs to a butcher in town who would
pay them and then butcher them for the city folks. Not mention is made of the price they
received.

Husksters were and interesting lot. Sort of a traveling mini walmart.. everything the families
might need were stuffed on the wagon. The would also barter or simply purchase some of
your items to sell to others... like twelve chickens.

You might ask the students to speculate what "chromos" were. I think they were colored
or tinted pictures in the magazine..a selling feature in a black and white world.