Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-01
RICH AND HIS FARM
What the Village of EIba Is
Like.
1T LOOKS LIKE AN ACCIDENT
The Home Of the Future Governor Is
Typical IN Its Quaint Sim
plicity and Thr.ft.

Wnoux O TIE Dttfolt news col-
respondent says that Eiba looks like
the result of An accident. The village
hAs al Air Of having wandered on from
some where snd sat down. regardless Of
conditions and location OF houses, satls-
ned that il was tolerAbly we'll punched
for dozen houses, two stories. with
postofice, ana seventy five inhabitants,
and utterly Indifferent As 10 where il
happened To be when it stopped. There
10 . rAkIsh look TO some OF the houses,
which gives it the appearance OF .
revenue cutter. You have 70 60 around
the town TO get 70 the postofice, which
10 IN the outskirts. the best OF the
houses being the suburban residences.
with tho exception OF the other store.
which is At the end Of the village. The
little depot fronts the railroad track.
with q potato patch dividing 1t from the
village
Elba is lighted by the moon and isn't
troubled with Doodle aldermen. e 10
sometimes lighted by electricity, how
ever, a. on last Monday night, wnen
the new moon went down. the aurora
borsalls took its place, but there Was
something the matter with the coles
tisl dynAmos, the light being such - 70
justify any respectable citizen in de-
nounclng IT.
Value OF One Aan Discussed.
A dimly burning lamp or two in the
store with the postofhce connection WAS
barely sufficient for purposes OF navi-
CATION between the legs Of two rows OF
seated citizens, portion only OF whose
form, . face here and . shoulder
there, could DO discerned a. the
way Was made slowly to the rear
20 reach the pretty girl who had lamp
and the charge OF the telephone. Be-
fore the girl Was reached. the discus
sion which had been going on In . high
key on the part Of the fragments afore-
said terminated N the unanimous con-
clusion that one man wasn't worth
much on o wheat stack. Steering by
the north star back to the other store
and bearing east-by south on . warped,
pine sidewalk through whose cracks
Timothy hay grew iuxurlantiy, thank
full for the flash Of q brilliant seroilte
in that 1t exhibited the power of q
Heavenly Father who in his mercy
would see devout reporter safely out
of that town, ne having concluded to
take bed ct the other store, WAS over
taken by . hearty voice, and, ~ seen
BY the hight Of the aurora borealis, .
very porsly young man, decidedly ac-
cspsable fat young man, who proved to
be the manager Of John T. Rich's farm.
Was the party who telegraphed? If
il WAS then be mad rig and it Was to
90 right out TO the house. It was only
Two miles.
The ssars Wisksd welcome.
Robinson Crusos nearly tainted
away when the vessel appeared IN
night and my momentary hesitation in
not instantly and thankfully accepting
salvation Was simply tho result of .
similar revulsion Of feeling. But j &C
cepted and were soon on the road with
EIba and the North Star ut our backs.
The stars winked . welcome. The CT.
cades, strident and lonely before, were
~ home munc sweet 70 the ear. The
bullfrogs in the marshy spots twanged
mslodiously. Is WAS like the change
from despair 70 the effect Of the second
bottle. The breeze blew over the
clover.
"Do you smell anything PECULIAR
inquired my angelic fat friend, inter.
rupting my ecststic train of thought.
why. yea, certainly" WAS the re-
ply, at recognize It," and 1 shifted up
the powerful perfume of fresh-cut
msrsh grass.
81 hit him before knew it," said the
manager 81 just caught glimpse of
him 1T the horses forefeet and had
to go over him. But il don't smell very
bad does it7''
II was . Pole Cat.
"Wby, no." Phew. great Scott in
my elation 1t the happy escape l have
not recognized the the pungent odor Of
my boyhood's dread, that swamp
barber shop, the pole cat.
So curious are the workings of the
human mind and so trifiing are the
things upon which 1t depends for Civ.
ing 10 direction that no student of hu-
man nature will be- surprised when
assert that the first recognized sniff OF
that interesting animal caused every
remaining suspicion that John T. Rich
was not genuine farmer to vanish.
There was very little SUSPICION remain
ing. however, when Eliza was struck by
the light of = switch lamp. ANY man
VINO has lived near that town since be
WAS years OF age, a. Rich nae, mus
ever remain . hayseed. do what be
will TO become cosmopolitan.
Mrs. Rich . woman OF Affairs.
A short talk with the amiaols hostes,
OF the farmhouse and the portly farm
manager in which the hiringof Glands
played . part; . snug room and sound
sleep: the creaking of . well pole, and
morning had come again with the sur
shinIng on the 300 broad. rolling acre.
of the Rich farm. With Its clover. wheal
and pasture fields, orchard, farmhouse
and modern outhuIldlngs. A hvins
creek cuts through the field back al
the house. At the family breakfast. a.
which the manager appeared, the at
sentlve hostess found time fnr b-iel
consultation sbout the work for tn.
day. and seemed vastly more absorbe,
IN household duties and farm affair,
than in the political prospects of be-
absent husband. she informed the 70
porter, however, that Mr.. Rich va,
thoroughly posted on the condition o.
the stock and crops, notwithstandI ns
his absences from the farm. And ths
reporter vas inclined IN believe that Il
the possible future governor lacked IL
sughs pertaining 10 farm management
the evident ability of Mrs. Rich full,
suupilea II