The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1901-03-06

| INTENDED 10 30 on dreaming OF tnc un-
tanned joys of country living to the end
of the chapter.
Now that he found himself in the
land OF his dreams. he hardly knew
whether to be disappointed or not. The
bracing air was laden with the dried
fruits of autumn. 1t had been smoky
in the city the afternoon he left. Here
all was very quiet and peaceful, with
nothing to break the stiffness but an
occasional chirp or the sound of falling
nuts. Jones was not an artist and he
had no eye for the picturesque The
| zig-zag fence and the tangled under
brush Jared upon his nice sense of
order and regularity. At the end of
four miles he was conscious OF nothing
except that the roads were abomlnably
muddy. that the tall weeds were wet.
and that he was tired and hungry and
wished he hadn't come.
II was still mile to the farm which
was advertised to be sold, aud he
longed TO turn back: but he recollected
the yacht his wife wanted to buy on
time payments, and the automobile she
1
him forward-there was no chance TO
retreat.
How dye. pardncr.' said the farm.
or, who found Jones vainly trying TO
locate the front gate by the dim twi-
light.
us this the place that Is adver-
tised?" asked Jones. resting against the
enpcn al
81 ca'calate it is. Re you from the
city?"
Il be-" said Jones, dropping into the
dialect of the place.
Then you'd better come TO the
house" The whole family set about
making him Mt home. They took It for
granted that he had come to stay
awhile. They opened some new pre-
serves, and got out the softcst and
most yielding of feather beds.
After two days Jones was surfeited
with fresh air, wholesome food and
simple, unaffected country manners.
He inwardly rebelled against brown
sugar in his coffee. white butter, and
feather beds, and the only institution
|
barrel. He was shocked at their is.
norance Of steam plows and costly
fertilizers. About the only satisfac-
ton he got was in telling the feats Of
famous horse trainers he had seen.
| The neighhors came in to listen with
open-mouthed astonlshment. They put
Jones down rs remarkable man, but
I 1,n n.st In
horse on the farm ran away with him,
and made him the laughing stock of
the neighborhood.
Jones was mad enough to go home,
but that day his wife wrote Il letter i'm
ploring him TO come back, explaining
that the horrid man wouldn't sell the
yacht or the automobile on time.
| Jones answered with an enthuslas-
| tic prose poem on the delights of farm
ing. Jones was small man, and he
often found some discrimination nee
essary In dealing with his strong
minded wife.
| Every day brought its trials. The
farmer attempted to learn" him to
plow, but gave It up. Jones had fire.
|
culturist as clod-hopper, but after he
had watched his instructor and then
tried furrow or two himself, he made
| up his mind never to consider any
body awkward again.
| That evening a letter from his wife
announced the engagement of the eld-
est daughter to their well-to-do grocer
OF German extraction and further stat
ed that the other girl had a STEADY"
who was saving his money.
Jones congratulated himself on his
diplomacy.
"Things couldn't have turned out
better; l still have my old position rs
bookkeeper, and / reckon / ne sdn't be
afraid that the girls beauX viii look
down on me. But what about buying
the farm"
He approached the owner while sur
rounded by his numerous family.
you've got the best farm i'm the
State" he said, land you are very rea-
sonable in everything. You don't claim
it's the Garden Of Eden, but you ought
to. You've got the homestead shaded
by spreading elm and the duck pond
near by-everything is as complete rs
II chrome. I'd like to buy you out, but
the fact is haven't got the money"
"Why, we amt no notion OF selling
mister" said the farmer in an injured
tone.
I'm glad of it, sir; but what about
your advertisements"
"Pshaw. we only advertised for fall
boarders.''
II see" said Jones, with sigh of re.
lief. II must have stumbled on the
wrong farm, but I'm blamed well sat
isfied. What's your bill"
well, bein' as the puppy ct up your
patent feathers, Wen call 1t four dol
lars il yonre willing"
whatever you say" said Jones,
counting out the money quite eagerly
I've got hundred dollars, at least
out of the deal"
| baI l. An ~.