Ralph had worked for the Browns for almost forty years. His family had worked for them, too. In fact, Ralph had been born on the Brown farm during the “great blizzard” of ’81.

The work was hard, sunup to sundown, sometimes longer, but the effort was worth it. It was a thrill to see those new crops come in, where there had been nothing before. Ralph would often treat himself to an ear of corn, fresh off the stalk, and eat it raw right there in the field, the sweet juice dripping down his chin.

The Browns had always taken good care of Ralph and his family, making sure they had everything they needed, including meals, housing, and medical care. In return, they did anything that was required of them. There was no small measure of love between Ralph’s family and the Browns.

With the day done and the sun going down, Ralph pawed the straw at his feet and brayed once to remind farmer Brown that it was time for supper.