The Van Buren press., 1898-01-22
AN AMERICAN IN FRANCE.
CuItiyates Farm for Five Years, and
Is swindled by Natives.

81 expect / am the only American cltl.
zen who ever cultivated a farm in
France, which I did for five years with
someprofit and much pleasure" " said the
scholarly and eloquent Judge Maekeyt
of South Carolina.
"Some years ago / went to Europe
for my health. In, Paris. ]. met wealthy
New Yorker, Mr.. Baker, to whom |
had extended some kindness during our
civil war. He was glad to see me, and
we recalled old times in our native
country. After few days he seemed
loath to separate from me, and begged
me to live with him. He couldn't speak
the language, and as his two daughters
were In French school, time hung
heavy on his hands. | consented, and
Baker leased a beautiful old chateau
five miles out of Paris, ont the Seine.
It had beautiful grounds, and 20 acres
OF good, arabic land. The farm he
turned over to me for five years for the
sum of one dollar and my company,
and l at once proceeded to put it in
cultivation.
First, | took in a Frenchman as q
farmer, and found him to understand
agriculture admirably, but he was the
most unconscionable rascal that ever
evaded prison. He would cheat me In
every little transaction. When straw
berries, which we raised under glass
for the Paris market, were worth six
farncs quart, he came back from town
with the proceeds, declaring that he
had only received three francs OF
course, found the rascal out eventual
| ly, but never was quite able to check
mate his crookedness.
early in our partnership had a
serious quarrel with him. Under our
contract I was to furnish two horses
and he was to provide two oxen. He
came up with one little scrub OK, and
hitched in with it was his own daugh-
ter a girl of 20 years. This was the
team with which he proposed to do
plowing. The idea of woman being
driven alongside an OK to break up
ground! 1t made me angry, and gave
Mr.. Frenchman piece of my mind. ]
told him that women were not put on a
| ltNtl Win DtublS III 4hlllfIlNd, anu ~ Aht
same time unfastened the harness from
about the girl. He shrugged his shoul-
ders and said this was France, and re-
minded me Of the French flag flying
over my house, ] called his attention
to the fact that above was the Ameri-
can flag, and the controversy ended, the
girl being given hoe instead of having
to help draw the plow.
1--WE raised peas, beans, potatoes, and
every sort of vegetable for which a
ready safe was found in the city. Prod
ucts of the farm are dear in France.
A good-sized chicken is worth $1.50,
and ham retails for 40 cents a pound.
l tried raising Indian corn, but the
climate didn't suit, it. being too far
north, and so we were able to gather
only four bushels from one acre. Even
with my thieving coadjutor I cleared
about $1,000 per year, while he must
have made at least twice that sum.
"The French are not to be relied on
when it comes to selling food products.
One day went to market and took q
notion TO buy dressed hare. Our cook
served it in the most dainty style i'm.
aginable, and our whole party enjoyed
it tremendously. Not long afterward.
in comforting with the cook about the
details of dinner, she told me that il
might be well to buy another cat, as we
seemed much pleased with the other
one. Then l knew the horrible truth!
and remembered. that I had bought
the animal dressed and minus its head"
Washington Post.