The Van Buren press., 1897-01-02
This isn't father, I'd like TO have yea

y
have the horse, I'll try elsewhere. You
needn't to discourage me-" lie turned
abruptly on his heel.
Hold on, Lot. Don't get on your
high heels too quick. l yum, / see
faint your father; and | kinder
thought l was encouraging YOU"
We'll, / guess you are" Lot laughed
shortly. For am all the more deter
mined to get that bottom in"
"S'pose you could rake up feed for
her?"
Lot drew himself up stifIly. Il don't
expect to work a starving team. And
the potatoes re going in, MIR. Baxter, If
l have to spade up the whole bottom.
We'll, guess you can have her, and.
he called out after Lot as he was hasten
ing away, after expressing his thanks,
'mebbe you might want to take the
collars and trace-chains along, too"
"And now I'm in for it," said Lot that
night as he confided his plan to Meg.
i've just got to get the whole outfit
together. But that feed bothers me
some. Beckett wouldn't trust me for a
ball"
ooh, this is different" quickly replied
Meg, go and see.'
Got BaXter's Fan? Rugged up a
harness for you and Meg? Going to
do it YOURSELF" reflected Beckett, with
pursed-up lips. well, should say
could afford to trust you, and he add
ed, as he weighed out the grain sack of
feed, you can run bill till you dig
your crop"
Lot was surprised. Meg only smiled
and nodded. The boy did some silent
and vigorous thinking over his unex-
pected success.
Ansal Reyburn was surprised, too, but
he expressed himself without reserya-
ton. Beats all how ready folks are to
get hold of your crop. Beckett wouldn't
trust me for plug of tobacco, but he
counts on getting you in his debt and
getting the whole of your CROP
''But I'm going to be careful abbut
letting that bill run too high" said Lot
profting by the caution his father had
unconseiously let fall.
"Then there's bugs" croaked his fa-
ther, diseouragingly.
'I'll go to work and kill them," as
serted Lot, confidently.
"And ii looks like twas setting in for
droughty season"
For n moment Lot had wild visions
of how he might produce the neces-
sary moisture, SO determined was he
to meet anything in the way of an OBJ
stecle that might arise.
"And then if it should happen to turn
in and rain, there's scab," pursued his
father, dismally. "Oh, you hain't
CHANGED on any funny schemes, Lot"
But scab and drought don't como
together" said Lot, sturdily. "And
may as we'll think | am going to get j
crop as not"
But it was not fun. twas hard work,
as he found. He had not counted on
much profit. His fathers gloomy
prophecies would not admit of his be-
coming oversanguine. But he did
mean to make enough for the COW.
The little innuendos, the doubling
laughter of some but above all the faith
so unexpectedly put in him by his new
creditors, urged him forward. THE
Rcyburns may be lazy, but they are
honest" he said Indignantly to himself
"And nobody shall lose a cent"
Then the more he worked, the more
he liked it. Odd jobs began to come
his way, too. 1t was surprising to see
how many there were of them, now that
he was looking for them. He had been
under the impression all his life that
the things looked for did not come, be-
cause they did not exist.
but I'm thinking they need just go
ing after" he told Meg, adding, with
the air of discoverer, land | don't
seem to have TO go far, either"
There were discouraging days. The
bugs came, but vigorous onslaught
discouraged even those pests. There
we've encouraging days as well, especial
~ that one the whole forenoon of which
Mr.. Baxter spent in giving him lesson
in vigorous hoeing.
"Did u whole row." laughed Lot, land
said he would do more, only he hated
, to do too much 'less'n he was sure OF
the crop"
Then came digging time at last, when
Lot proudly reported at the store SOC
bushels.
"Why. it'll be the making of you,
} cried Joe Baxter, admiringly, slapping
him heartily upon the back.
IF the grinding monopolies only let
him have half chance to sell EN-,
grumbed Asal, nodding at Beckett.
well, Asal, they're going to this
time" said Beckett, rubbing his hands
delightedly. Hes going to ship EN-
straight to my agent in the city. There
not going to be any middleman here
at this end
When Lot found himself in possession
of 500 after all expenses were paid, il
was the next to the happiest moment il
his life, he concluded.
That's to come when | get Bess
: I'm going after her tonight" he said tc
Meg. "And, Meg, hear that pound
ing?"
what is it?'
Father. He's been tinkering up tht
eowshed all the morning"
An hour later Asal Reyburn came il
with hurried step. The sheds all fixed
Lot. and see n chance TO ride down tC
Badgers after Bess."
For second the boy hesitated. II,
had counted so much on that supreme
moment-to place $40 in Badgers hands
and drive Bess back in triumph pas
the grocery. 1t was 10 be a complete
vindication of himself, at least.
But there was something in his ia