Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-08-31
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members of the family were industrl-
Gus workers, toiling from early morn
till late at night. She had heard the
farmer express a desire to sell his
place. She thought to introduce the
subject of buying and ascertain the
cause of his i'll luck, and, If the c1rcum-
stances were not too discOuraglng, she
would purchase the farm.
Farmer Ross" said Mrs. Patterson,
one evening as the sturdy old yeoman
came in from his work, Il have often
heard you say you would like to sell
your farm want to buy some such
place as this. but before | talk of buy
inc want to know why you wish to
SELL"
II will tell you candidly. Ihave had
so much bad luck in the past eight or
ten years that [ have been compelled
to remain in debt, mortgage my farm,
and [ see no other way than to consent
to it's foreclosure, let the holder of the
mortgage have the place, and [ will
pick up the little [ may be able to save,
take my family and start for the far
West, enter a homestead, and begin
life again way down at the bottom
Farmer Ross, you say you have had
bad luck. In what way has such luck
manifested itself? You have a nice
farm, the crops look we'll, the yield
bids fair to be large, you and your boys
do all the work, pray tell me about
your bad luck-your crops have not
failed, have they?"
"No. [ have been very fortunate in
raising good crops every season, my
land is exceedingly fertile and yields
most beautifully, but the price of farm
products has been so low right along,
year after year, that really the profit
has not been sufficient for me to buy
those necessaries of life which we must
have to exist even halfway comfort
ably"
"Then it is not the farm that is to
blame for your ill-luck, but something
else that happens after you and your
family and the farm have all done their
duty. Have you any idea why the
price of your produce is not sufficient
to support your Woodworking famlly?'
mo, [ have not" continued Farmer
Ross; ''some six years ago | put a mort
gage of $500 on the homestead. [ have
paid the interest every year, but [ have
been compelled to increase the amount
of the mortgage until at the present
time it is 1850. [ have been running
behind about a hundred and fifty dol
lars each year, and [ see no way OF ever
starting again on farm unless [ can
sell my farm for enough more than the
mortgage to enable me to buy an emil
grants outfit and sufficient supplies to
last my family until we can get settled
again. You know when farm is
mortgaged within a few hundred dol
lars of its selling value, it is difficult to
realize any more than the amount of
the mortgage. A foreclosure usually
wipes out farmers entire possessions,
and [ know of score of cases where
farmers who have spent quarter OF
century in hard work on the farm were
compelled to part with all they had
and go out into the world, wife, chill
dren, and all, homeless and penniless.
This may be my fate"
Farmer Ross, [ like your farm. |
know it will suit me. [ have little
income from other sources and will not
be entirely dependent on it's profits for
a livelihood. Your price is reasonable,
and you can make me the deed, and if
you desire to give possession at once,
will take your crops at fair valuation
The bargain was closed, Farmer
Ross gathered around him those mem
bers of his family too young to go into
the world alone and make a living, and
at once made preparations for seeking
a new home.
Mrs Patterson bought that particular
farm, not only for a home, but its Sc
clusiOn suited her feelings, and it af
forded her a hiding place, as she often
times termed it, from q mysterious
somebody, whose coming she thought
improbable and yet constantly dreaded:
and the location was in the very midst
of the dear people she had learned to
love.
She was, how ever, unused to farm.
The farm Mrs. Patterson purchased
was on side hill, with the buildings
very near the brow From the house
to the river, which meandered in plain
right. was a gentle slope. Had the
place been selected for it's picturesque
ness and beautiful natural scenery, it
would have been all that a devoted ad
mirer of nature could have desired.
The highway ran about a hundred
wards from the house, and between the
house and the road was wide lane, on
either side of which grew row of
thrifty maple trees.
The river was not large one, though
it was digniied with a large name.
But it was beautiful stream land when
not disturbed by the spring and fall
freshets, was as plain and smooth as
crystal. The eye seemed to be never
weary in gazing upon the scarcely per-
ceptible current, as it moved so gently
and noiselessly along, while its banks,
lined with luXuriant grasses. reflected
beneath the waters, apparently resting
against the shadows of the clouds,
made picture of exceeding loneliness.
A short distance in the prairie was
quite a large body of water, which was
known as the lake. On the side of the
lake was slope or beach, formed by
the sand washed from the waters bed
by the wind of summer and ice of
winter.
Nestled so gracefully in the lap Of
the prairie, the lake seemed to be only
temporary visitor, and one might
easily imagine that when completely