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NARA 244

slacken their labor, and let my crop, and their own get in a misirably grassy condition, almost irrecoverably lost.

On Sabbath morning before the Election, I rose, and blew the horn as usual, sometime after daylight.  Then dressed, and went after sunrise, to their cabin, called several times - no one made reply.  I struck the door and roused them, and told them. "If you do not intend to attend to business; get up, pack up your duds and leave"!  I then fed the hogs.  After which Ben came slowly walking toward the crib, with a sack on his arm.  I told him to "give me the sack.  If you will not attend to business, I have no further use for you; I can feed - myself"!  Which I did.

He left - I saw him no more till evening, when he came and asked me to give him a statement that I "had discharged him".  I told him "I shall do no such thing".  I want your work - and want you - if you will attend to business, But, if you are determined not to do that - leave here!  And the sooner you do so, the better it will be for you".

They were talking of quitting for a week or ten days previous to going, and seemed only wanting some pretext to get away.  I saw clearly, without a change they would not benefit