The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-10-04

members of the family We're 1nuuslrl-
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 clrcum-
stances were not too discouraging. she
would purchase the farm.
Farmer Ross said Mrs. Patterson.
one evening as the sturdy old yeoman
came in from his work. L have often
heard YOU say YOU wolld like to sell
your farm | want to buy some such
place as this. but before | talk of buy
ing want to know why you wish to
sell"
Il will tell YOU candidly. have had
50 much bad luck in the past eight or
ten years that | have been compelled
, to remain in debt. mort gage my farm.
and see no other way than to consent
! to its 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 d homestead, and begin
! life again way down 1T the bottom.
- Farmer Ross. yoi. say you have had
| bad luck In W hat way has such luck
manifested itself? You have Il nice
| farm. the CROPS look well. the yield
! bids fair to be large. you and your boys
| do ali the work. pray tell me about
! your bad luck your crops have not
! failed. have they"
No. I have been very fortunate in
| raising good crops every season. my
| land is exceedingly fertile and yields
most bountifully. but the price of farm
| products has been SO low right along.
! ..,{x = 1txr tn
! ha, not been sufficient for me to buy
those ncces.;:,lies OF life which we must
have to exist even halfway comfort
ably"
Then it il 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 family:'
No. | have not" continued Farmer
| Ross: ''sOmc six years ago put a mort
gage of $500 on the homestead. l have
paid the interest every year. but l have
been compelled to increase the amount
OF the mortgage until at the present
| time it is $3.50. | have been running
behind about hundred and fifty dol
| lars each year. and / see no way Ofever
starting again on a farm unless | can
sell my farm for enough more than the
| mortgage to enable me to buy an emf
grant S outfit and sufficient supplies to
last my family until we can get settled
again. You know when i: farm is
mortgaged within Il few hundred dol
! lars of its selling value. it is difficult to
! realize any more than the amount of
! the mortgage. \ foreclosure usually
| wipes out Il farner's entire possessions,
and | know of a score OF cases where
! farmers who have spent Il quarter of q.
century in hard work on the farm We're
compelled to part with all they had
and go out into the world. wife. chill
drcn, and all, homeless and penniless.
This may be my fate.
Farmer Ross. like your farm. I
know it will suit me. I have little
income from other sources and will not
be entirely dependent on its profits for
Il 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 Il fair valuation.
| The bargain was closed. Farmer
Ross gathered around him those mem
hcrs of his family too young to go into
the world alone and make Il living. and
at once made preparations for seeking
Il new home.
Mrs. Patterson bought that particular
f"rm. not only for Il home. but its Sc
clusion suited her feelings. and it az
forded her hiding place. as she often
times termed it. from 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 q farm.
The farm Mrs. Patterson purchased
was on IL side hill. with the buildings
very near the brow. From the house
to the river, which mcandered in plain
right. was Il gentle slope. Had the
place been selected for its picturesque
ness and beautiful natural scenery. it
would have been all that a devoted adj
mircr Of nature could have desired
The highway ran about Il hundred
yards from the house. and between the
house and the road was a wide lane. Oh
either side of which grew d row OF
thrifty maple trees.
The river was not Il large one. though
it was digniied with a large name
But it was Il beautiful stream. and when
not disturbed by the spring and fail
,
crystal. The eye seemed to he neve,
weary in gazing upon the scarcely per
, ceptible current. as it moved SO gently
and noiselessly along. while its banks
lined with luNurlant grasses. reelected
beneath the waters. apparently resting
against the shadows of the clouds
made 4 picture OF exceeding loveliness
, y short distance in the prairie wa.
quite I: large body Of water, which wa
, known as the lake. On the side of tn,
: lake was Il slope or beach. formed b,
, the sand washed from the waters bee
+ bv the wind of summer and ice 0
. winter
, Nestled SO gracefully in the lap o
the prairie. the lake seemed to be onl,
, Il temporary visitor. and one Nigh
, easily imagine that when completed,
rested. il would start off for othe
, chimes where it might refresh othe
rrairies and gladden. other hearts.