The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-12-02
Farmer Bells Speculation.

A COZY, comfortable home was Farm
IN er Bells. Originally it was one of
those old-fashioned farm houses which are
"pretty much all Kitchen" and that kitch-
en- as delightful spot to pass winter eve
ming in as you would find in days ride.
But as he prospered Farmer Bell had built
a modern front to his house, SO that he
now had parlor, where there was man
tle-piece surmounted by two gilt vases
filled with dried grass, and centre-table
covered with books and daguerreotypes,
and fashionable stove with flying cupids
on the sides. On great occasions, such as
Thanksgiving Day and Christmas, the par
lor was warmed and occupied and through
out this goodly land there was no man who
observed Thanksgiving Day more religious
ly than did Farmer Bell. That day had
never passed over his head without its
every item of customary observance-from
the going to meeting" in the morning,
down to the cranberry sauce, without which
no holiday turkey is a perfect success.
And it was won't to be Farmer Bells
cheerful boast that Thanksgiving Day had
never passed over his head in gloom. But
this year the good man looked forward to
the coming of that day with painful feel
ings, for it promised to be accompanied
with little comfort. Farmer Bell had been
unfortunate.
In the spring Mr.. Bell, looking forward
to his son Leonard's contemplated mar
riage with Miss Emily Sutton, the pretty
music teacher in the village, had resolved
to risk his all in great speculation that
would inside of year net him a good
thousand dollars of clean profit and this
was to be Leonards marriage portion. So
Farmer Bell commenced buying up lean
cattle. Owing to the demand for beef,
cattle were bought up very clean all over
the country, and prices were very high.
At that time there was good prospect of
an advance, and even if prices held on as
they were he would make an excellent
profit He mortgaged his farm to Squire
Gripe, hard old fellow in the village, who
refused to take mortgage for full year
OH the house, but agreed to transfer it to
the cattle in the fall if the farmer was not
ready to pay and Farmer Bell was not the
kind of man to trouble himself about such
a matter. Though call his enterprise
speculation" it was not of that precarious
order of enterprise which fourishes in
Wall street; it was simply the turning of
all the energies of his farm in one direction
that is to say, the feeding of lean cattle
for the market. Few mundane things
could be more certain than that the prices
of beef would ere long rule high and as
the farmer went about the country picking
up one creature" here and another there,
and paying cash down for each, he soon
got together as fine herd of lean cattle as
you will often see in any pasture-fifty of
them, bought for something less than two
thousand dollars cash, and certain TO sell
for at least three thousand when fattened.
Three thousand dollars was an immense
sum of money to Farmer Bell as it is to
many well-to-do farmer who never knew
want and never expects to.
As prices continued good, and even i'm
proved, Farmer Bell considered his boys
fortune as good as made and so the time
for the wedding was set, and due prepara-
tions begun. 1t was to be on Thanksgiving
Eve--eve Of the happiest day of the whole
/ year, in Farmer Bells opinion.
Leonard Bell was a fine young farmer Of
twenty-five, Of an intelligent, well-read
mind, who had intended to adopt a pro-
fessional life, but had found by little cx-
4 perisnce that his robust physique would
not endure so much confinement, and 80
had resolved ON following out his fathers
line Of life. He sang bass in the choir Of
the Methodist church in the village, where