Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-09-23
devoted TO Art. Science, and Agriculture

devoted TO Art, Science, and Agriculture
for himself"
"The more fool he!' cried Titus Closely,
contemptuously. John Dcepwater can't
afford it no more'n l can. My farms
bigger an better'n his is; and tell ye,
fla. and square, at l ha'n't got no three
dollars to throw away for u newspaper"
"But-Titus-"
"Shut up. Nancy! l tell ye, don'
want it."
And Nancy closed her lips, and the
agent went his way and Titus Closely
went forth to plow his ground with the
great old wooden plow which his father
and grandfather had used before him.
And time passed on. The newspaper
agency was established at tho village
postotlice but Titus did not patronize il.
lie felt he had \ principle at stake. He
had said he wouldn't-and he wouldn't!
But in one thing he was consistent; he
would not allow his wife or children to
borrow papers of his neighbor Decpwater
il he knew il.
One evening Titus Closely and his wife
took tea, by invitation, with neighbor
Deepwater.
''I declare, Nancy" said Titus, on their
way home, Prudence Dccpwater beats
all creation Tor cooking. don't she? I'd
no idea she was such hand ut it.
wonder where she got them fresh straw.
berries"
"Shc preserved them herself, answered
Nancy.
"O-giI eoul. Them wasn't preserved
they was fresh rs new picked"
1T is the way they are fixed, Titus"
"Eh. can YOU do it?"
IL could il had her paper"
"IIer paper"
Yes. She found the receipt in the
newspaper. And that's where she learned
how To do most all of her nice cooking"
Titus changed the subject Of converse
ton.
Autumn came, and the Agricultural
Fair was held in an adjoining town. Titus
went over with yoke Of what he con-
sidorcd very fine oxen; but ho found,
when the exhibition came off, that he was
very tar behind the times. New breeds
OF which he had known nothing, had been
introduced, and his own animals were not
deemed worthy OF notice.
.Whew" whistlcd Titus. rs he sat in
his kitchen, with n crumped report OF the
Awarding Committees in his hand. A
friend had given him the printed docu-
ment. John Decpwater has got tho
premium for sheep. BY hockey! I'll bet
| clip more wooIn he does next season."
because you've got more sheep, suS-
gested Nancy But wait and see. The
new breed which he has procured is a
very valuable one.
Bah! Think what it cost him: fifty
dollars Tor pair on EN-
And" added Nancy. "hc sold two Of
his spring lambs TO Mr.. Thompson for
eighty dollars
''Git coutl"
prudence told me SO. John Deep
water saw so many fattering accounts OF
those sheep in his paper that he knew
that it would be safe to invest"
Titus referred again TO the Report.
Hello, I'm blessed if Polly Downcr
hasn't got the first premium for cheese
five dollars
"Yes," said Nancy. "She was telling
me about her cheeses. She found out
how to make them in her paper. Itellye
Titus, it's good thing to have good
newspaper. wish you'd.
bah. Don't talk to mel" And Titus
threw down the Report, and retired from
the kitchen in disgust.
The winter passed; and the springs
work was done; and the time Tor sheep
shearing came. Titus Closely sheared one
hundred and fifty sheep. and obtained
therefrom not quite six hundred pounds
of wool. being less than an average Of
four pounds to sheep.
Titus. didn't tell you that neighbor
Decpwater's sheep would be far the most
profitable? 1t costs no more to keep one
of his splendid animals than it does to
keep one of ours. And then his lambs
are heavier; and his mutton is"
"Stop yer gab. Nance! know what
ye're pitchin at: "It's one o. them 'tarnal
papers! Let John Deepwater go it, If he
wants to. I've got more wool'n he has" !"
"And you wintered more than twice as
many sheep rs he did"
"Shet up! will YEP"
Nancy was silent. But the end was not
yet.
After the haying had been done, Mr..
Deepwater and his wife called over and
took ten, and spent the evening. with
Titus and Nancy.
In the course of conversation Prudence
told 10 Nancy many new things which sho
had learned of household mysteries, while
Mr.. Deepwater talked TO his host OF the
great improvements which were being
made in agriculture. And Titus was in
tcrested in spite OF himself, though he
tried 10 appear otherwise.
.By the way, Titus" said John Deep
water, late in the evening, "when you gel
ready to sell your wool, think | can rec.