The Opelousas courier., 1886-05-29
Dorothy's Enterprise.

tsNo,a said Dorothy Mallard, II won't
run the farm with any man on shares! I've
seen enough of that in fathers time. It
was always the man that got rich, and
father that lost
"You won't, eh2'' said Silas Green, red
dening angriIy.
No. said Dorothy, Il won'tt!n
Then I guess yau and the children
will starve,a growled Silas. "Any-
how, / guess nobodysl feel sorry for
you.n
tits very well to talk about sympathy
and help, and all that sort of thing
said Dorothy Mallard. .But when
it comes to actual business, I've OBJ
served that every mans hand is for him
SELF
but no woman ever yet made a farm
pay, said Silas Green, sullenly biting the
end of q burnt match.
ssgNell, anyway, Imean to have a try at
il, 2 said calm Dorothy.
She was not quite twenty, this positive
with bright, gray-blue eyes, q healthy
red-and-White complexion and very dark
brown hair, brushed straight away from
ner smooth
She was no city damsel whose ideas of
life are limited to i x-butt0n kid gloves,
opera matinees and walks on the sunny
side of upper Broadway, but a straight
forward. business girl, who knew every
detail of farm life, and could tell just
when rye ought to go III and carrots come
out.
Her father had been Complaining
as the country folk phrased it, for years;
and now that he was dead, Dorothy felt
q new avalanche of care descending on
her. For there were four wistful-eyed
little girls and one delicate boy to be
provided for.
6ilas Green and Dorothy Mallard had
never been regularly engaged, but it was
an understood thing in the little com
munity that they belonged to each
other.
They had kept company ever since
Dorothy put up her hair behind with a
comb. And Silas had perhaps learned
10 domineer d little i'm d good-humored
way. Consequently he did not approve
Of this new o%utcropping Of Dorothy's in
dependence.
I'D marry her in a minute if she'd hear
TO my way Of doing things, = said he. "Of
course the little girls are old enough to
be bound out. I know plenty Of good,
sensible women who would give 'cm
their board and clothes for the work
we would not quarrel about him. There's
lots Of odd chores q boy like that would
be useful for
But orothy's eyes had flashed indig-
nation when Silas had limited some such
arrangement.
tsD0il's she said bitterly. tsSend little
Abel To che workhouse. That's the way
to manage. And as for the girls, it's a
pity we don't live id Singapore or Bonn
bay, or some of them places where they
fling all the girllbabies into the river be-
fore they are are old enough to be in the
way. I wonder, Silas Green, what you
take me- forg'
So Dorothy gave up all ideas of mar
likelihood out of the old farm.
It's ID use my thinking Of wheat and
rye, and potatoes, and that sort of thing
cold she. lit would require too much
capital and too many hands. Beside,
father used to say that the market was
oyerstocked. I'll put the big corn-lots
into tobacco. That's a crop that q woman
can handle. Old Jubal will helpme about
the curing for 8 mere trile; and iii nut
some grape vines up then rocky terraces
BIZ the south woods, and the big straw
berry Geld Is coming into fine bearing
tIsis year. I'm glad I set out the young
n8A0fH Inst aTg1nn NY0 TUAtprpa FERN NIL