Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-09-11

to that real estate Office some day with
enough money to carry out his plan.
Jimmy was unable to contribute any,
thing, as all the money which he received
during the day was taken from him q:
night, and he was severely beaten If his
employer suspected that he had kept
back any for himself. In six months
bob had added SIS to the $50 already in
the savings bank, and the luck of S15
reward given him for finding lost dog
increased his hoard to $50.
Again the boys sought Mr.. Kincher's
Office. The sign advertising Mississippi
lands at S. an acre still stood before the
office door. Dir. Kincher RENE mbered
their faces, or perhaps their rags, and
greeted them cheerilY. Bob told him
their Grand, how they now had $50, and
hoped that his would be enough to pay
for three acres and the implements neces-
sary for commencing farming. Mr.. Kin
cher sat thinking for some time and final
ly said.
"Well, boys, you seem bound to try
it, aud believe that you will succeed.
1t will be hard work, but If you show as
much energy as you have shown il saw
lug $50 out of your slender earnings,
you will succeed. The lands are located
on the Okalaloo River, and before the
war were rich cotton fields. They are
now covered with growth of young
timber and thick underbrush. Now you
NO. go down there and begin the work
clearing your three acres. For the
present l will truSt you, and you can
pay me out of the proceeds of your first
crop. The land is very rich and will
grow about three bales to the acre. If
you 90 down this summer and commence
clearing your land, you can make nice
little sum selling the wood cut off the
land to the steamboats, when they come
up the river. will give you permission
to cut wood where you please, as it will
help clear the land, and if you can clear
and plant more than thee acres, go
ahead and do it, and pay me out Of your
first crop. The Okalaloo is not naviga-
BILE at all seasons, but when the winter
rains swell it, steamboats, come up to
carry off the fall cotton crop. You will
need axes, a cart and mule-and you
can buy cheap old mule that will do
for a year or twO-and few sacks of
cornmeal and rasbers of bacon. Your
passage down the river will cost you very
little. Yes, I think you can manage to
get started on $50.
CpOn the first day of August the boys
found themselves sitting upon an ancient
stump and eating ash cake as they gazed
at the Okalaloo sullenly flowing past
their new home. Three days later a
rude cabin had been built, and the boys
turned to the labor of cutting timber
and clearing land. Their life was un-
eventful. Chopping and hauling timber,
cutting and burning underbrush, occu-
pied their time. No visitors disturbed
them, for the nearest house was eight
miles away, and Stetsonville. the nearest
town, was fifteen. Day by day their
clearing grew wider, day by day their
woodpile grew higher, until on the 1st
of December they sold 100 cords to the
first steamboat that had come up the
river that season. Three hundred and
fifty dollars was the reward of their
four months hard toll, and they could
pay all that they owed and even think
of better house and few sim ole COM
forts. 1t had been raining heavily for
some days, and as the boys turned from
the landing after the steamboat had dis
appeared the rain was falling in sheets.
In the outskirts of Stetsonville, On the
fat land lying along the OkalaloO, stood
a pretty white home with green blinds.
Six years before young Massachusetts
doctor had settled in Stetsonville with
his young wife. Beginning with
almost nothing, aud owing large sum
borrowed to defray the expenses of his
education, DR.. Young gradually built
up good practice, and at the end of
FIVE years had paid all his debts and was
the owner of a pleasant home. But
when at last he seemed fairly on the road
to prosperity an epidemic of yellow fever
swept over the State, and he was among
the first to fall He left his widow moth
ing but the homestead and 5000 with
which to support herself and four-year-
old daughter. A year had elapsed since
the Doctors death. Mrs. Young had
eudeavored to devise some means of sup
porting herself, but Stetsonville offered
no opportunity. The people were kindly
disposed, yet there was nothing which
they could do for her. The schools
were supplied with teachers, there were
dressmakers and nilliners in plenty, be-
yond this, there was nothing for
woman to do in Stetsonvlle. Little by
little the slender stock of money IL the
bank had grown smaller, and on the first
anniversary of her husbands death Mrs.
Young knelt by the bedside of her sleep
inc child passion atelY PRAYING that help