The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1904-03-12

letter from Annie" and he fumblet
10 several pockets.
| Glancing at Miss Bridgeford, hi.
eyes twinkling merrily, he said
fMother thinks there's trouble com
ing. She says her signs never fail
and she's got some sign for this
though I've forgotten what. If ]
worried as much as she does, my hail
would be winter than it is now, and
he shook the snowy lock that sur
rounded his rosy face like nimbus
"She's broke a dish this morning,
and she said, Now I've got to break
three before I m through So said
Why not break the other two right
oH? and / went and got two old
plates and told her to smash them,
land she wouldn't. Don't you think,
Miss Bridgeford, that would be great
IDEAL wiser than to spoil two good
ones?" But his wife was too intent
on the letter to heed his banter.
"Why, you've opened it p she ex-
claimed, as he gave it to her.
"Ofcourse. It was addressed to
me-" be replied with mock dignity.
ooh, dear, I dread to read it, there
was sucl a lot of muddy water in my
dream, aud you made me look at the
new mooi through glass, and / sneez-
ed twice tefore I got up. Is Annie
sick, or has she lost her school," she
whimpered,
"Do read it, Mrs. Perkins," said
Miss Bridg6ord, seeing that Mr.. Per-
kins did notintend enlightening her,
and sorry towitness such waste of
nervous energy.
She scanned the lines and drew a
long breath of relief. "Isn't this
splendid? Just listen. Annie's been
promoted to the principalship-a great
honor--better salary-and she's 60
ing to send us two hundred dollars a
year now p
Rising to take leave with kind con-
gratulations, the girl looked at Mr..
Perkins, expecting some disdainful
reference had taught him better. He
knew only too well that these refuta-
tions of their efficacy would speedily
fade from his wife's memory, and be
entirely gone by the time the next
ones came.
Mrs. Perkins chartered on as she
followed her caller out to the steps.
"I'm very proud of Annie, Miss
Bridgeford. This is her third promo
ton. In all her years of teaching she
has never had a bit of fault found
with her work by the superintendent
and never lost day by sickness.
Then the force of lifelong custom
made her suddenly remember the un-
known malignant powers that she be-
lieved must be warded off after asser-
tions Of good fortune, and exclaimed !:
There, I'm boasting r. she quickly
stretched he little withered hand up
to the door frame and raped three
times on wood = YOUTHS Comtauiou.
FARM HELP PROBLEM.
q The question of how to obtain ade-
quate help on the farm is becoming a
very serious one. Men who are able
bodied and willing to work can obtain
better wages in the manufacturing
towns and are constantly drifting that
way. The want columns of the news
papers show a constant demand for
the good farm hand. Formerly there
was do trouble of this sort, because
such advantages and inducements
were not held out to men to leave the
farm.
But while the offer of s. per day
and some over sounds big, and plenty
of men are making more than that, lit
tie inquiry discloses the fact that in all
towns the class of men who formerly
worked as farm hands are receiving
about SIPS per day and board them
selves. If he has a family to main
tain the struggle is hard one. On
farm man is usually paid about
SIS per month and board or some
times is furnished with house and
little plot of ground. With that he
has really a far better chance for a
living. That is figuring things as
they have been in the past. What
has decided many man to go to town
is the prospect of getting his children
educated and giving them other ad-
vantages not obtainable in the coun-
try. But with the advent of better
public roads, which are now coming,
the extension of trolley lines, the
rural free delivery of mails and the
establishment of high schools in town
ships as we'll as boroughs, there is
now almost as many advantages in
country as in town life. 1t is the
coming of these things that have with
in few years past changed conditions
This ought to solve the problem fol
the farmer.
The man who can promise these
advantages, a cottage for the family
of the farm hand to live in and the
old-time wages, ought to have nc
trouble getting help among the class
of men who are nowadays laborers il
towns. The advantages are for the
man who accepts place on the farm
1t may take a little time for the la
boring class to comprehend the fac
that the situation is reversed, but
when they do there will be return
on the part of many an able bodied
man and the solution of the problem
of farm help will have been found.
SARDINES.
Gent1i,1a cordi11ec are the v0f1nO q