River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-06-13

ence, and so had everything else
about Walnut Dell farm. But this
was owing, Mr.. Perkins informed his
wife, to the fact that, since the owner
died two years ago, the place had
been rented and it was welI-nown
truth that nobody ever took much in
terest in a place which was hired.
"WcH soon slick it up and make
things boom." said Perkins, rubbing
his hands. you'll have fowe--
garden on the lawn, Anna, and I
shall raise peas and cucumbers ami
celery, andy George! wen send
some in to Brown! Brown has
laughed at the idea of my turning
farmer, and / shall make him laugh
on the other side of his facet"
It was early in April when Mr.. Per-
kins took possession of his estate,
and he set at once to work to get
things in trim.
He bought a horse and hired an
freshman and the two set about
ploughing the ground for the cary
vegetables. But the horse did not be-
licye in carly vegetables He pre-
ferred to stand still and chew his bit
and stamp his forefeet viciousiy and
let the pillow rest in the furrow. Per-
kins exerted his powers of persua-
sion. but all in vain. The horse only
planted his feet more firmly and de-
clined TO move on Then Perkins
tried the whip. The Irishman tried
profanity. The animal was proof
against both. Perkins took him by
the bit and offered to help him by
pulling with all his might at his head.
The horse declined the offer with
thanks.
The sun was hot, mosquitoes were
plentiful and attended strictly to
business. The ncighbors gathered to
see the circus, and brought their dogs
with them. All of them-eXcept the
dogs-gave some advice. A good deal
Of it was tried and proved Intellectual.
At last Perkins got mad and INDUCED
in some forcible remarks. Mrs. Per-
kins. with the baby in her arms, APP
peared on the scene, and asked Per-
llins what he thought of himself for
giving way so, and she asked him
where he expected to go when he
died, both of which conundrums
only made him the madden.
prick his hind leg with a penllnife,"
said an old teamster, who was pass
ing by with a load of fence-rails, and
climbed over the fence to see what
was going on. Never knowed that
to fail to start EN-"
And Perkins pricked the hind Ter,
as directed The effect was electrical.
The horse elevated his heels, gave
snort, and plunged off down the field
and Perkins went up in the air as if
shot from a pop-gun, and came down
in a ditch a rod off, and was hauled
out by the crowd, half suffocated with
the muddy water. The horse kept
right on till he came to stone wall
where he left the p'0w and struck
Decline for the barn of his former
owner, where he brought up all right
in due time, sweaty, but triumphant
Perkins gave his original propri-
etor $40 to take him back, and hired
his blowing done. He considered it
cheaper.
II bought some books on farming
and worked by their instructions. H.
did not take any stock in the advice
of the old hayseedy fellows who lived
around in that vicinity; he believed
in science.
lie planted his early beans and peas
and corn, and every day he went to
see if they were coming up. At last
he was rewarded by seeing the frsc
green shoots of the peas, and the mex.
day the ground began to crack open
and rise up, and 10, the beans APP
peared!
But what was Perkins consterna-
ton to perceive that the beans them
selves-the beans he had planted
had come right out of the ground on
top of the shoots!
He told his wife about it. with great
distress of mind.
1T must he that / put too much
phosphate in the hill, and it has
blown them right out of the earth
Now, those beans should have stayed
in the ground for the plants to have
rooted in and got their nourishment
from. That's the natural way Of
things. And all can do is to set EN-
ont right side down; but it'll be n
tormented hard jobl"
"Tn help you" said the dutifnl
wife. Wen take il early in the
morning, while it is cool, and before
anybody gets around. wouldn't lei
Patrick know anything about it. if |
were you, for it might make him
have less respect for you, He would
think that you did not know how to
plant things"
So, in the early morning, Mr.. Per
llins and his wife went out into the
field and began transplanting the
beans and sticking the bean end down
into the ground.
OF course, one can never do any
thing privately if one tries, and old
/ Farmer Jones cut across lots, from
| driving oxen off to pasture, and came
down upon Perkins and his wife be-
! fore they saw him.
What in natur' are you two ado.
| ing?" asked he, turning over his quid