Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-09-12
Hr. Perkins Farming.

Perkins was pondering over, and
he was 30 much impressed By it
that he read it aloud 60 his wife
along With the half colnmn Of sim-
liar sentiments which follGwed ID.
Evidently the writer had become
enamored Of farm life. in theory IL
not in practice.
'Now, Anna said Mr.. Perkins,
crossing his legs and throwing him
self back in his chair. as he invari-
ably did when he was commencing
an argument, 'thst sounds promis-
ing !! That fellow knows what he
10 talking about. And you know
how We have always thought we
would enjoy the country. Fresh
milk that has not passed through
the milkman's manipulstions; but
ter % golden as buttercups; straw
berries every morning for break
fast; chickens Of ones own raising;
honey fresh from the comb; pure
air and water; natural society, no
gossip. Anna, the experiment is
worth trying
But, Henry, you have a GOOD ait.
nation, aud the children are at
school, and you don't know any
thing about farming
'Do you take me for fool, Anna
Perkins p cried her husband. in
dignantlY. Don't You suppose
have got brains enough to learn /?
Don't you think am as bright @
man. naturally, as old Ducy, who
brings rs our cabbages, or the red-
haired milkman, who brings butter
and eggs and charges Eve per cent.
more for them because he knows
they are fresh ? Humph ! fresh
IL he knows the7 ere, il il more
than we know when we come to use
them
'Oh, Of course, Henry; You know
euough in your way said his wife.
But it don't seem to me that you
know much about farming, having
never had any experience.
Il can learn. Anybody can learn
in two weeks time as much as any
Of these old rural clodhoppers, and
! have q mind to try it. 1t would
be good for the children. The
change OF air would benefit my
lungs, and you would grow fat,
Anna, on new milk and the good
things generally
Mrs. Perkins shook her head
doubtfully, but Perkins was san.
guine, and that very day he saw q
real estate estate agent who had fol
sale a farm so nearly approaching
the condition of the Garden OF Eden.
beforeit became infested with snakes,
that Perkins went to look at it, and
concluded to invest four thousand
dollars for it,.
Real estate said the agent, iii
by all means the safest of invest.
ments. Railroad stocks are tick.
lish. savings banks are risky because
Canada is so near, and it takes q
small fortune to buy q hundred dol.
lar government bond; and as foI
mining stocks--whv, q man musi
be mad as q March hare to think
OF them |! But real estate, my dea,
sir-real estate 10 right there every
time 1t can't be stolen, and You
have got it right here rhere you
can see it. And farming 10 the no.
blest and most independent life in
the world
Mr.. Perkins became the proprie.
tor Of Walnut DELI farm, and TOOK
his family thither. Why it was
called Walnut Dell. it would have
puzzled q philosopher to determine,
since the nearest approach to O val.
nut tree on the premises was horse
chestnut, which looked as il the
'sere and yellow leaf had overtaker
it in its prime. It had q discour,
aged appearances. and 80 had every.
thing else about Walnut Dell farm.
But this was owing, Mr.. Perkins
informed his wife, to the fact thai
since the owner had died, two years
ago. the place had been rented; and
il was . well-known truth that no.
body ever took much interest in 9
place which was hired.
wen soon slickit mp and make
things boom 7 said Perkins, rub.
b:ng his hands. 'Yon'll have 8
flower garden on the lawn, Anna,
and shall raise peas and cucum,
bers and celery. and-by George
ven send some to Brown. Browr