Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-06-24

4 StO0CO - tAA1o btAA1C - n W - ~ - AAOAA
profit for thesfirst fve years dftif tn
old man died.
"Old Abraw Dodge had great faitl
in hard work and his wife's common
sense. These two things he said hat
made his life q success: and when ont
day, while In the field, he was told tha
his wife had died suddenly while ab0u
her usual work, he left the plough
standing where 1t was, and never wen,
back to 1t, but in less than q year ht
was laid at rest beside his wife. hi
lifewOrk ended.
well, Abram left one son, John
who was the pOssessor Of many dne
fancies, and an education considerably
better than that possessed BY any Other
young man In the neighborhood. and
to this son he left the farm and about
ten thousand dollars In cash. Besides
these, the old man left the son q good
example. but John Dodge was %
pleased with the farm and the cash
that he forgot all about this last men.
toned bequest.
John believed In display, and began
to show t. He tore down the old barn
and built two larger ones, and spent
nearly two thousand dellars In modern.
king the house.
The farm had always been Known
as the Dodge Place.' but this didn't
sound quite fancy enough to suit
Johns ideas, 20 he gave 1t the name Of
Twin Farm on account Of the now
barns being alike and the elm trees
resembling each other. he said pretty
loudly and pretty often that he'd show
the folks around there that there was
money In scientific farmins-a fact
believe In myself, when accompanied
by little common sense
HE hired a large force Of men, and
bought about every kind Of . machine
intended for farm use he could hear OF.
He went in for fancy stock, too-spdnt
n small fortune for q small hcrd of cat
tie of a reputed famous breed that
never amounted to much except to at-
tract quite q number of visitors to look
at them. His horses were all high
priced; three Of them he bOasted could
trot inside Of two twenty, AMI every
thing else about the place showed the
owners love Of making a spread
John never had much head for fig
ures and 30 when his accounts began
to get a little mixed he engaged a
young lady bookkeeper from the city
to take charge Of them. She was
smart and pretty. and John told Qnite
a number. confidentially, thnr II she
proved to be the woman he took her to
be, she might become mistress Of the
farm some time.
'Well, things ran along for about five
years, when one fine morning John
Dodge awoke to the fact that his cash
had all been invested In fancy stock
and scientific farming apparatus, and
worse still, that his affairs In general
were hopelessly involved
"There was but one thing left for
him to do. He knew that by disposing
of the farm no could probably save two
or three thousand dollars from ohe |
wreck; and his selfcOnceit, which wns |
n prominent trait In his character, |
prompted him to think that with this |
capital he could engage in some bust |
ness in the city, and soon become rich |
enough to buy half the town in which |
he had been born. and where thus far |
he had been a failure.
Another thing, also, he decided to
do. The young boOkkeeper had proved |
TO be all he had supposed her to be.
worthy to be the wife OF even
John Dodge, and he determined to en-
tighten her in regard to this fact, and |
nsk her to assist and share in bis future |
brilliant career. He had never spoken !
to her upon this subject, but he took it |
for granted that he would receive a |
favorable answer. as he considered |
tude in the matrimonial market. lie |
the little office where she pre-
sided, and after his pleasant greeting |
had been returned, he said:
"'Well, Miss Colburn, I'm thinking
very strongly of selling the farm
Indeedr replied the boookkeeper.
"'Yes,' he continued, L begin to think |
I can make more money in tho COM |
mercial world have made my plans,
and have now come to you to assist me |
in carrying them out. VIII you do sO?' |
"I have always been faithful, ] |
think, to your interests, and shall con.
tinue to be- was the bookkeeper's an. |
swer.
Thus encouraged, John Dodge asked |
her to be his wife, but the little woman |
very coolly told him she was sorry to |
him, but that she was al |
ready engaged to a young man who |
worked upon his farm.
AT this Jthn was so taken abnck |
that he sat there, not knowing what 70 |
say, when the little woman continued:
"'YOu spoke just now Of selling the |
farm; at n Reasonable price. / think 1 |
can get you customer
My friend paused here, and quietly |
said:
Il think II 1 were to guess who Is nj |
pres""t th" mistress Of Twin Farm, !
should say the bookkeeper."
Right you are" said my friend; "and
there's another fact which perhaps You
wouldn't guess; I'm the farmland who
bought the place."
l extended my hand to my friend In
and presently asked:
What became Of John DodgeT
"Well, after he sold the farm and hai
settled up, he had about twenty-five
hundred dollars left; this he took to the
.ity and Invested i'm what never could
quite make out, but he would come to
he neighborhood occasionally in a
swell suit and n beaver hat, and once
he limited to me that II a man wanted
o make money he'd better quit farm
ng. told him II 1 wanted to make
money, probably I'd quit farming; but
is my object in life happened to be to
.et an honest living and to have n