The Dickinson press., 1891-07-18
JOHN WALTON's FARM.

wv " ASNeVi.
"Hadn't you better subscribe for
it?"
81 tell you, no. l haven't the
money to spare. And. if had,
haven't got the time to waste over
newspapers" said Ehen Sawyer, with
some emphasis.
"But you will gain much inrorma-
ton from it in the course of a year.
sir" pursued John Walton.
81 tell YOU, l don't want it'll"
This was spoken so fatty and
bluntly that Walton said no more,
but folded up the prospectus of a
periodical which lie had with him
and then turned away.
Eben Sawyer and Ben. Grummet
were two old farmcrs--that is, old at
the business. though they had only
reached the middle age OF life-and
after their young neighhor had gone
they expressed their opinions con-
corning him.
"HeT never make IL farmer" said
Sawyer, with a shake of his head.
'He spends too much time over those
papers and books of his. He's nleetle
mite above farmin', in my opinion
"Those are my sentiments" re-
sponded Grummat. 81 tell you, Eben,
the man that thinks tomake a livin'
on a farm in this section has got to
work for it,"
At thisjuncture Sam Bancroft came
along. He WAS another old native
of the district.
1--WE was just talkin' about young
Walton" said Sawyer.
He's rippin' his barn-t1oor up"
said Bancroft.
"Rippin' the floor up!" repeated
Grummet. why, the whole floor
was put down new only three years.
ago"
"The tie-upfloor, Imean," pursued
Bancroft. Hes got IL carpenter up
from the village; and his two hired
men T. helpin'."
"Whcw. | guess he'll make a farm
er!"
And so they all guessed-with a
reservation. In short. there was
something highly ridiculous in the
thought of a mans thinking to be a
farmer and q student at the same
time.
John Walton wasa youngman, and
though he had been bornin the neigh
borhood, yet much of his life had
been spent in other sections of the
country. His parents having both
died, John had married, and now
turned his thoughts to making a liv-
ing out of the old homestead.
Ben. Grummet had Il curiosity to
see what was going on i'm Walton's
barn, so he dropped in there. He
found that the whole Of the floor,
where the CATTLE stood, had been torn
up, and that they were digging q
wide, deep trench the whole length O
the tie-up.
"What on airth is all this for?'
asked Ben.
"Why," returned Walton, who was
busy experimenting the work and
also in working himself, 81 am hav.
ing a place fixed here Tor laakine
manure. mean to fill this trench
up with good muck and thus save
the liquids which have heretofore
been lost. think, by proper man
agement | can get double the guam
tity OF manure which others have
got on this place"
"Do ye:a" said Grummet, sarcastic
eyes" resumed the young man
cit is Il fact that the liquid manures
could they be saved, would fully
equal the solids both in bulk an6
value, and when combined with wei
rotted muck, and some other articles
which Shall take up and retain al
the more volatile parts, | feel SUR
that they will afford more iertilizins
powers and properties than the sole
manures cam"
"You don't say so! Where d'y'
larn all that?"
"Partly from reading and partl,
from observation" answered John
smiling at his good neighbours sar
casm.
Il don't suppose it costs anythin!
ooh yes; it will cost me considera
BILE before | get through"
"1aas; Ishould rnyther cnlkilatei
would"
81 swami" Ben Grummctc cried, as h,
met Sawyer shortly afterwards
"John Walton's regular hitalutin
He's jes' about as nigh to bein Graz,
as u man can be-"
'Eh?-crazy, Benz"
col don't mem, rally upset, lik'
folks who are sent to the insane asy
lum; but he's got his head o%fallsort
of nonsense"
"But what in natures he goin' t,
do?!"
"Why-he's goin' to save the liq
uids, as he calls 'em! AM he's goin
to put in somethin' to take up tn
vol-voluntary parts"
"Eoluntary parts? What are they
Benz"
cit was vol somethin'. But Idon'
know. wouldn't ask him. Is'pos
he jest used the outlandish word So
to get mo to ask him what it mean
am then he'd show off his larnin'
But l want SO green"
81 wonder if he thinks he's a con-
in here to show us old farmers no,
to worlS?" said Sawyer, rather indig
nantly.
81 guess he thinks So" rcturne
Grummet.
"Thcn l guess he IL find out his mis-
take" added the other. 'Jes' yo
mark my words. Ben. He'll be fla
on his back afore two years is out!
Autumn came, and after John Wa
ton had moved over a twenty-ac1
field, getting hardly hay enough t
rov tor rho IN nor no cor NOR ar wOr