The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-09-05
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''TWIN FAIRY. ~

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visit him in his country home, and had
expected to find him awaiting me at the
station. There had been misunderstand-
ing, apparently, in regard to the time |
prospect of having to foot it" some four
miles was before me.
While I stood there a moment, gather
ing courage to start upon my journey, a
fine looking young farmer came riding by,
and on seeing me he stopped his horse and
kindly inquired if l intended going his
way. After ascertaining in what direction
''his way" lay, l gladly accepted his in
vitation to Jump i'm, and was soon speed
ing along the pleasant country road behind
the young farmers plump iron gray.
AS had anticipated from his pleasant
countenance, found my companion good
natured and quite communicative as we
rode along. He entertained me with
pleasant talk upon various subjects; and
as we would pass an occasional farmhouse,
he would speak of its inmates, of their
character, prospects, and family history,
with that freedom which characteriZes the
average New England farmer.
Presently, at a considerable distance
ahead, there came into view the buildings
of a large farm. The trim white dwelling,
with the conventional green blinds, seemed
to nestle beneath the protecting arms of
two large elm trees, Two large barns
with their attendants, in the form of
numerous sheds of various sizes, appeared
close by, clad in suit of dark red: all
these standing as they did amid bright
green fields made most beautiful picture,
and remarked as much to my COM
panion.
Eyes, Sir" he replied that's Twin
Farm, and its called the best farm in the
county It's where Pm bound for today,
and Pm rather proud to say l work
there"
had often seen such farms as this ap-
peared to be, and had often found them to
belong to rich city merchants who worked
them mostly as means of spending their
money that would otherwise 90 for yachts,
blooded horsefesh, ETC., and so | asked if
this farm was run for pleasure or profit
''Both, was the reply. Perhaps you'd
like to hear little about that farm; it's
got rather interesting history continued
my friend.
Certainly" said l; and he began as
follows:
''Old Abram Dodge was farmer Of the
good old sort. About forty years ago he
built a house and barn where you see the
buildings yonder, and went to work to
improve the hundred acres of land he had
bought. He lived there until he died. and
folks say that for every day of his life on
that farm some big rocks were dug out and
the whole filled up; and he never quit this
practice until every cultivated field was as
free from stones as this same farm was free
from profit for the first five years after the
old man died.
"Old Abram Dodge had great faith in
hard work and his wife's commonsense
These two things he said had made his life
a success; and when one day, while in the
field he was told that his wife had died
suddenly while about her usual work, he
left the plough standing where it was, and
never went back to it, but in less than
year he was laid at rest beside his wife, his
lifework ended.
"Well, Abram left one son, John, who
was the possessor of many fine 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 good example, but John Dodge was
SO pleased with the farm and the cash that
he forgot all about this last mentioned
bequest.
John believed in display. and began to
show it. He tore down the old barn and
built two larger ones. and spent nearly two
thousand dollars in undermining the
house.
''The farm had always been known as
thc bouSc Ildce, nut tnlS uluD Z SOUND
quite fancy enough to suit Johns ideas, so
he gave it the name of Twin Farm, on
account of the new 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 farming-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 in
tended for farm use he could hear of. He
went in for fancy stock, too-spent small
fortune for small herd of cattle of re-
puted famous breed that never amounted to
much except to attract quite number of
visitors to look at them. His horses were
all high priced; three OF them he boosted
Rev. John Dewitt, q.
Of the THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, New Brunsw