The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-08-08
State Historical sosIssv
ESQUIRE EL1JAH sL1PsHOp.

great dcSlrc I'd 90 OUT anu SIJenQ the Gay
with our old friend and ''fellOw-traveler
down the hill of lite to that awful gulf -
and so forth, Squire 'Lijah SlipshOd
but have never had the time till this
week. The Squire Is part owner of q
splendid farm-the fellow who holds the
mortgage is in partnership with him
on the Walnut, a short distance from
town. With Il handsome piece of bot
tom land. some timber and living water,
all ArcsIdian landscape of undulating
prairie, backed up with a belt Of prime
val forest, the scene presented to our
view was enchanting. But enough OF
such stuff; We must get down to bust
| ness. E
Drawing rein in the vicinity of where
We supposed the Squire lived-the SUM-
flowers were so high we had to depend
upon the LAY of the country" for its To-
catiOn-we were not long in finding the
COW path thai led to the house. Hitch
ing our livery plug to stray sapling, we
started for the house. The beautiful
lawn in front of the 'SQuire'S house was
IA study for an artist. Industry and thrift
were noticeable on every hand. Beneath
the Shade OF the tall Sunflowers reclined
seven dogs; while ON either side the
spring pullet, the Cne-eyed rooster, lit
ter of pigs and u stump-tailed calf enliv-
ened the scene. The chickens reclined
gracefully in the shade of the ash-hopper,
while the lOng-legged porker wallowed
lazily in the mud puddle at the north
end of the house.
AS we entered the front door, half
dozen tOw-headed children scampered
out of the back door or under the bed,
while the Squire arose to his feet and
gave us cordial greeting. 1t being q
very warm day We asked for a drink of
water. The Squire answered., ITO be
certainly, you shall have it in minute"
Sam, p" said he, Ego get the editor a
cup of water"
"Hain't got time" said Sam; Jim,
you go"
"GOt sore toe" said Jim; "Bill, you
60"
. 81 won't do it, let dad go hisself," said
Bill.
Getting little embarrassed, we pro-
posed to the Squire that we go out and
look over his farm. "All right" said
Elijah; so we started, and on the way we
took drink from the creek the Squire
has no we'll He says we'll water is I'M
healty.
The orchard was the pride of the farm.
Of course the rabbits had skinned the
original graft SO that the trees, as a rule,
came up from The roots. We suggested
pruning.
'Prune the devil! We have to let
them grow up in a bunch that way or the
wind would break them off," remarked
the Squire.
How long have you really been here,
Squire?' We asked.
Nigh onto fourteen years." he re-
piled. 90. -.
aHow long have these trees beeen put
Il
About 'leven years" said he.
Had any fruit yet:''
mo; the blasted rabbits skin the trees,
the hogs dig the dirt away from the
roots, the trees winter-kIll, and all the
fruit that we have had is of no account
anyway"
"Of whom did you buy the trees ?"
"a travelling fruit tree peddler; and he
swindled me some, - remarked the Squire,
ms he took another chew of our finecut.
We proceeded to the "barn." "HellO,
Squire! you believe in horses with short
tails" we remarked as we observed three
old stagers standing in the COW lot.
The blarsted calves chewed the hors-
es' tails all of, last winter" said the
Squire.
'Have good luck with chickens ="
we asked, after observing two old speck-
led hens trying to hay claim on one
featherless chicken. 80 -,-
mo; the hawks and varmints kill
them all of" SAID the Squire.
do you put them in coop at night Y'
mo; they rOOst in the peach orchard"
'Hou don't use your stable for your
horses 80
Not now. The stalls are so full OF
manure we can't get the horses in at the
door. But just as soon as corn planting
is over the boys will have the neighbors
come in and we will have a raisin'; then
it will be all right"
why don't you haul your manure out
| on your landy"
"Hain't got time"
where are the boys? 80
"GOne to town to sell a load of wood. y
"DO you have good luck with your
hOgsY'
mo; it don't pay to raise hogs?"
Glow is your wheat?"
Didn't cut it. Poor seed; didn't
come up well, and the weeds took it."
When did you buy that harvester %
1.-Two years ago."
"YOu ought to put 1t under cover"
Costs to much to buy lumber, and
can't afford it.
"Doy you like Kansas ?''
mo; can't make any money here. eli
mate too uncertain"
Who teaches your district school ~
"Hain't had any school lately-teach
ers all stuck up-wOn't take twenty dol
lars a month and board around, so we
can't afford to have any school,"
"Where is your corn field"
Over there, just beyond the sunfiow
ers"
We didn't go to look, but made start
for home. 1t is not often we find farms
like the above in this country, but when
we do we always write them up.--Wal.
mt Valley Times -