Dear Public—I am agent for a fertilizer. It is a popular Fertilizer. I have engaged to deliver largely, and I live ten miles from the Railroad, teams being scarce and rival Railroad companies delaying each others freight.
… My mind, however, remained clear till the past week. People up to that time had been moderate in their demands; they are now clamorous. Their motto [is] "Guano or death!"
Each one has been promised his, first, and each one has been more diabolically deceived than any one else. They come at all hours. Midnight starts them off, day break finds them at my door, sun rise lights up their frenzy; noon tide glares upon them disappointed by dogged sitting on their coupling poles waiting for the loud "we expect this evening,"' and darkness shrouds them plodding home, empty and profane. They come in all weathers—in rain and storm because they can do nothing at home, in sunshine because they are ready and cannot wait.
They come with all known animals, black horses and white, bay horses and gray, and horses with calico spots.— Mules with shaved tales, mules with one eye, mules with none. No-horned steers named "Juke" and long horned steers, called "Huck." Donkeys, all ears, and cows with calves.
They come with all known vehicles: old wagons painted red, and new wagons painted blue, carts made of an axle tree and two wheels, and carts with two planks and a sheep skin for a body; carts with shafts, and carts with tongues; dixies with a place for "just two legs" behind the seat, and broken back buggies for "one more bag" in the foot.
They come with all kinds of harness. Collars of leathers, collars of bark, and collars of shuck; reins of leather, reins of rope, and reins of grapevine; bridles with blind, bridles without, bridles of string, bridles with bits, and bridles of rope tied under the chin.
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