Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-05-10
FARMER JOHN.

energetic and successful FARMER III lne
~roat wooded belt of central Wisconsin |
Tho heavy timber of nearly two hun
,.od acres had melted before his brawny
ann and months at time the ring of
h;o heavy ak had accompanied the sun
from its rising to its going down. Great
farm buildings had risen slowly by the
r,de sheds which were first called home,
and droves of sheep and cattle fed where
tho one COW and unbroken steers first
found pasture.
Farmer John had fairly met all the dis
engagements usual in pioneer life, and,
aided only by his equally energetic wife,
had honestly acquired a competence.
That he was an honorable neighbor and
a fair dealer none could deny, but some
how. as the years passed and the farm
was improved, there had grown up to-
ward him on the part of his neighbors
feeling of dstrust and aversion.
Asa rule, they called him honest but
"close." Some of them thought him
selfish. 1.-THE almighty dollars all he's
after" was the often repeated remark of
uncharitabe neighbors, who, less thrifty
and Industrious than he, found it hard
to feed their large families, much less
accumulate stock buildings and machin-
cry, as Farmer John had done.
The fact was, when John Sanbourn
came into the new country, times were
extremely hard. and it required strict
economy to make the few dollars he had
brought with him from the east provide
for his wants until he raised his first
market in the second year caused Farmer
John to pinch almost to the verge of
nakedness and starvation. A habit of
closeness was thus formed which time
did not diminish, and which grew in the
eyes of his neighbors into a fault of the
most exaggerated dimensions.
One little grave had been made during
these troubled years, and another trouble
which we shall presently mention had
contributed to leave the old man as we
find him - overworked, morose and
selfish.
On this particular morning he seemed
rather more surly and gloomy than
usual. 1t was just as the springs work
was beginning, and the never ending
round of toll was swelling into even
greater proportions than usual. On
every hand look where he would, there
was something to be done, and to his
business eye there was no more chance
for resting spell than there had been
thirty years before.
Something must be wrong, yes, some
thing must be wrong" he repeated tc
himself, as he walked on up the wide
lane leading to the old barn.
Something was wrong. Like a good
many men who are anxious to do well
and have little to do with, Farmer
John had saved and worked till he
thought OF nothing but saving and work
ing Ambitious as he was, he dreaded
70 see any of the boys start out in life
unless he started well, and above all he
could not bear the thought of one o.
hem marrying into a family not wei
supplied with money or land. So wher
the oldest boy. Will, had reached hi
Wenty-second year, and began to cal
occasionally on the Widow Baldwin,
bright little Helen, it surprised no one t.
near that his father had told him to stol
gong there, or to leave the farm.
WIZ was deeply attached to the OLE
pace and had worked faithfully ever.
aay since he was big enough to pill
ofush. So one morning, when the oil
man found the breakfast little late anC
WINS mother trying to hide the tear
Nnen she called him, he was not pre-
pared to hear that he had gone-gone III
one knew where.
although in his heart the father felt a
pauiy as any one. he was still inexorabl
snu declared that no boy of his SHOULD
marry beggar-no, not if he never say
nun again. So Will went away, and tn
au'uinn and winter came and went, an
uae springs work was upon them, wit
aii the extra labor Wills absence en-
tailed.
mus things stood when we find tn
oia man talking to himself along tn
pa.h TO the great red barn. The boy
Aaa gone over to the hill pasture to re
pa't ,he wall before turning in the stock
. n'eh' impatient to go, was still fed q
Al FARMER John had come up in the mic
We OF the forenoon to look after thing
a SIu carry back jug of fresh water, an
too m,e There he stopped at the barn
Nv out little before going to til
ouse lie had thrown some stalks owe
II. 'ae sheep and cows, showed a brigf
w ~. OF hay to the new bossy, and nov
''ef giving old Kit all the oats 81
needed, found himself with a large for
ful left, '''>' " IVA 49,
'ust what to do with it did not see
come to him at once. So, mechar
ny leaning his fork against the pile,
~. aown upon it. Yes, sat down
a;a ink' and the way he did it, and that
III s 1t at all, showed he began thinkii
before he sat down.
inat Farmer John should stop wor
ta u ABOVE all in the middle of a brig
n s' was something quite out of |
so,a a' way of proceeding. Farmer Jol
'uom did think much, and what thin
fae. nc aid was generally done upon
s'' out whether this uartiailaT4 moI