davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11
TESTING SEED CORN.

Hundreds Of men who read this item
will be planting field Of corn before
long. Most Of them have their seed
corn saved after fashion; some have
it in the crib, some up in the attic, some
in the oat bin, some down cellar. Few.
of them really know just what per
cent of this seed corn will grow. Many
Of them will test it by selecting few
kernels here and there and planting
them, but that will be all. There is a
better way-a method by which the ex-
can be determined. 1t requires little
! time and patience, but the work can
be done during stormy days. Take
the corn selected for seed and lay 1t all
out on the table or on the floor. First
make a careful selection as to type,
throwing out all ears which are not
up to the standard which you select;
then put the selected ears in groups
Of ten each and number each ear; then
take out four kernels from different
parts Of each ear, laying them opposite
each ear; then take box FIVE inches
deep and large enough to test each ear,
marking it off In one and one-half inch
squares after it is filled with two inches
Of sand or loan. Number the squares
in pencil so that they Will cor
respond to the numbers on the corn,
place the four kernels in their proper
square, lay over them sheet Of cloth
and place on that an inch or 50 Of damp
sawdust. Set the box in room where
the temperature will not be over 70
and inside Of week you can gently
raise the cloth and find out just what
kind Of seed corn you have got. Ears
which are thus shown to be defective
or weak in terminating power can then
be identified and thrown out. Good
seed has more to do with the yield oh
the corn crop than most people think.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

(CHAPTER l, Continued)
AYE, uar she Win, JOSIAH" she an
nounced emphatically. "Of a truth,
hou'rt not oversoft with woman, but
thou ART 80 tall and doth walk about
with such an air an str1de mat,
ween, scarce maid thou did set thy
heart on could resist thee"
IF 1t be that my cousin hath an eye
to her purse strings" he observed
thoughtfully, my frugal and thrifty
management Of her farm lands may
appeal to her"
'Those facts and others to thine ad-
vantage will be placed before our
kinswoman with proper judgment and
skill upon her arrival" his mother an.
nounced. "My son, thou dost know that
tbs thine own lookout to win thy Cous-
In Margaret, for tits ever q mans
place to do the counting, but that will
keep close shadow and watch well
for thee and thine interests thou can.
not doubt All. welladay," she drew q
deep breath, "'twill be a happy time
for thy mother, Josiah, when she car
Sit before yon doorway at her spin
ming and. ever and anon raising he1
eyes to look at the wide acres Of green
pasture surmounted by the gray house
on the hill, know that thou art master
there"
Taunston, looking intently into space
with covetous eyes, made no reply.
Soon the candles having burned al
most to their sockets and the brigh1
fare of the logs given place to dull
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

where thou art, sweet Margaret, am
happy."
proper welcoming. But as thou'rt
aweary and rest is what thou doth
need will go on my way to leave thee
undisturbed. God be with thee, Marga-
ret"
He proceeded a few steps, then
paused, addressing her seriously:
cousin, ut prayer time tonight
shall offer thanks to God for thy safe
conduct through perilous journey"
'sThank thee, and farewell, Josiah"
Turning hastily, Margaret Maryland
went with swift steps toward the
house.
Out on the road Taunston continued
on his way with slow strides, his head
bent over his breast In thoughtful med
itation.
Worse, far worse, than expected -
he muttered. "Much DEVILS work to be
undone! Our cousin hath comely face
enough, and methought after my first
words Of admonition she appeared
more gentle and less hoidenish in her
AudAAcIy duu 6O Sllcul WAS Sut tOWuIu
the last doubt not that my speech i'm
pressed her. A good example, constant
correction and much sound advice is
what woman SO young and worldly
minded doth require"
Reaching rising eminence, he paus
ed at the top and looked back at the
Maryland estate, with its broad acres
stretching far before him in all the
glory Of their spring beauty, illuminat
ed by the rays Of the setting sun. "Ahv
He drew sharp breath unconsciouslJ
of admiration and longing.
'Never before hath my duty to the
Lord been placed 80 fully before me al
in this my self imposed task Of lead
ing mine erring young cousin into The
paths Of wisdom and Righteousness,
he said after a few moments thought
slowly and with solemn emphasis.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11
CHAPTER III.

TN HE next morning the sun rose
a dazzling in its radiance above
E the peaks of Cragenstone,
shedding luster over the vii
lage. On the Maryland farm all nature
was astir. Thrifty robins dotted the
green grass, conspicuously displaying
their red breasts as they sought their
morning meal in the soft damp earth,
larks thrilled gayly, and the nightingale
poured forth Its sweet high notes in
joyous exaltation.
Yellow crocus flowers lifted their
faces timidly to the sun, and gentle
breezes stirred the branches Of the
trees. Now were heard the voices of
the men and maids as they MIXED the
cows or drove them out to pasture, and
the noisy bleating Of the sheep and
lambs, budding together and running
out through the open gates to spread
themselves over the fields, added in
creasing activity to the early morning
scene.
In room Of the Maryland homestead
above the broad staircase that led to it
Margaret Mayland exhausted by the
fatigue Of her long journey, lay sleep
ing, undisturbed by the noises out of
doors.
Through the deep silled latticed win
dow ray Of sun poured in, then softly
touched the closed eyelids; another
kissed the arched red lips, and third.
as If it recognized its kind, fell sudden
ly on the wealth of golden hair on the
pillow. One arm was thrown in care.
less abandon over her head, and her
gown of white linen, falling open at the
throat, disclosed finely wrought chain
Of gold resting upon it, from which
was suspended small cross of the
same metal The cock under the win,
dow crowed Justify once, twice. Mis-.
tress Maryland stirred, then, signing
YEARLY, arranged her head more com
fortably upon the pillows and slept on
neacefully. -
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11
distant. Turning to 60, she said: "Aye.

distant. Turning to 60. she said: aye,
come with me, Josiah, and welcome.
Thy good mother and Hetty have but
just left after spending pleasant
hour with me. and already sweet Hetty
hath found place in my heart"
Josiah regarded her soberly, letting
his glance rest on her brilliant hued
riding dress significantly.
THAT my sister hath some trifing
faults do admit" he said. "But she
is ever an obedient maid, God fearing,
pure minded and modest, setting an
example Of propriety that would, l
wot, be Of benefit to many older and
more experienced in the world than
She"
They had reached the entrance Of the
driveway that led to the Maryland
house. Margaret, stepping aside, has
tily drew the gates together after her
and, leaning over the railing, said, with
an attempt at q smile: "Of sudden a
great WEAKNESS hath fallen upon me-
good manners, cousin, IL were to ask
thee to excuse me from further con-
verse today? 1 find that my strength Is
greatly spent by the long ride up the
mountain, and would rest awhile. L
truth am overdone," she concluded.
Taunston, concealing his disappoint-
ment. said, with forced air Of pleas
antry that sat Ill upon him: "He who
cometh late must take, perforce, what
is left, Margaret and l regret, as one
having taken thy place on thy farm for
80 many months, representing thee in
all business matters, that I was not
here upon thine arrival to give thee
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

He stood befoTe her Nth hts hand up
raised.
blackness, emitting few dying sparks,
Mistress Taunston bethought herself Of
the lateness Of the hour.
'Hetty not come inv' she exclaimed,
walking to the window and looking out
with impatient anxiety. "Ah, l hear
her voicer'
Then throwing open the door she
cried sharply: "Hetty, come in! TITS
unseemly for maid to be dawdling
out Of doors on a Sabbath evening.
Thou shouldst be at thy prayers! Who
Is 1t thou hast with thee7"
"Only Simon, mother"
The merry faced little creature in her
severe gray bonnet and plain dress of
homespun came forward hurriedly.
"As was returning from leaving
Cynthia Camett at the gate I met ST.
mon near the turnstile, and he ventured
to walk with me. Be not angry, moth
err" as the woman, towering above her,
frowned wrathfully, "Prithee, little
gossip with good Simon would not hurt
q maidv
Gossip on the Lords day! Light
and trifing talk on Sabbath nightv'
her mother cried in stern rebuke. "And
think not that sounds of thy wicked
laughter did not reach mine ears! To
thy room, hussy! Nay, let the candle
remain" as Hetty lifted one from the
table. I'm darkness canst thou better
put thy mind on thy prayers and ask
the Lords forgiveness for thy sinsv'
Then shutting the door with inten.
tional violence upon the retreating form
Of the young farmer she fastened the
wooden bolts securely for the night.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

HE DOES NOT WANT MORE LAND.
You have good farm Of 100 acres
and are not content, but want more
land. Let's see. You raised last year
an average Of thirty three bushels Of
corn to the acre and thirty-two of oats;
your hay gave you one ton and quar-
ter to the acre, your potatoes ninety
five bushels; you got $50 from your
poultry yard and your cows returned
you $50 each for cream sold; your
steers sold good way under the top
Of the market, and the only full blood
ed thing you have on the place is
shepherd dog, which followed you
home from town one day. See here;
you don't want any more land. II you
had more acres to work, your crops
would be still smaller. The trouble is
the acres you have want coat Of
brains. We passed your place the 9TH
er day and saw your stock eating up
and wasting poorly built stack Of
what was last July fine timothy and
clover hay; we saw your milk cows
one cold morning out in the cornfield
foraging among the stalks and noticed
toward night that your hens roasted In
the trees around the barn; we also
saw your wife with shawl over her
head digging around the wood pile to
get little dry wood to cook your sup
per with, and you recollect we met
you in town loaflng on a dry goods box
and cussing the government. You
know that your boy was pulled before
the mayor for getting drunk and rails
ing Cain one night lately and that
about that time one of your best horses
was ruined with barbed wire cut
because the halter rope was rotten
and the barn door off the hinges. You
don't want any more land. The more
you have the worse you will be of.
Better just stop and have good think
ing spell all by yourself and see II
you can't better yourself under exist
ing conditions. 1t is entirely possible
for you on this farm to double your
present income, and that's no joke ell
Their. Brains and work will make the
old farm give you sixty bushels Of corn
to the acre, two and a half tons Of hay,
flfty-fve bushels of oats. You can get
$500 income from your cows, and your
poultry yard should give you $3.50 II
properly managed. Run in debt IL
need be for manure spreader tomor-
row and get those 400 loads Of manure,
which makes bog Of your barnyard.
out on to the fields. Test those cows
and fire the improbable ones. Get a
$3.50 bull at the head of your herd, SOW,
at least twenty acres Of clover this
spring and every spring thereafter. ro-
tate your crops, build a silo, save your
corn fodder, get dry wood handy for,
your wife, quit loafng in town, fill
your home with good reading matter
and quit cussing the administration
and wishing for more land. You will
think inside of three years you have
more lt.nd than you can work. The fore
going is perhaps not very nicely said,
but it is the truth and sizes up the case
Of q whole lot of you fellows.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

$1oo-Dr. e. Decthon's Anti-Diureto
may tie worth to you more than $500
IL you have child who soils bedding
from incontinence of water during
sleep. Cures old and young alike. It
arrests the trouble IT once. 81. Sold
by w. w. Ennis. druggist. Ottumwa,
Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

If there is any talk about trolley
line in your neighborhood it will be
good money in your pocket to get
next to the project, give the right Of
way through your farm and help it all
you can.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

The stump Of tree represents some
Of the meanest and most destructive
work Of men. 1t is too often economic
wreckage, the sacrifice Of the useful,
the artistic and beautiful for paltry
present gain. Some men seem to hate
tree on general principles, when 1t is
one of the most beneicent gifts Of ma
ture.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

Where a farm is kept one-half in
grass, with stock to utilize the grass
and other products Of the farm, it will
in the very nature of things become
more productive each year.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

We are asked whether If crop of
seed clover plowed under in late Sep
TENDER will so seed the land as to In
sure stand Of clover one year later.
We have known this to be done quite
frequently: The clover seed crop to be
plowed under, as stated, crop Of corn
to be taken from the ground the next
year, this to be followed with oats,
and a fine crop Of clover to follow with
out additional seeding. In ordinary
seasons this result may reasonably be
looked for.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

A practical and profitable system Of
crop rotation is more needed all through
the corn belt than any other one thing.
Where corn will grow neither oats nor
wheat will do very well, and the temp
tation is ever present to follow corn
with corn. to the manifest injury Of
the crop and the soil.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

One trouble Is that men are apt to
regard the whole cornfield as the unit,
when the real unit should be each in
dividual hill. If the field as a whole
looks well and thrifty they think they
have good field Of corn, when close
examination will show that some hills
are missing, some with single kernel
in, some with altogether too many. It
Is this way Of doing which reduces the
yield Of corn per acre.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

A boy can never be Interested in
farm work unless some effort Is made
to make his work pleasant for him. If
he is given poor horse to care for, a
poor tool to work with, hard and un-
pleasant work to do and no tangible
and visible money return for his labor,
he will take the first chance to leave
the farm and try his luck at something
else. 1t Is really very easy PROPOSE
ton to interest most boys in the farm,
but they must be treated as boys and
not as hired men.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

Those 100 young roosters which you
will raise this spring should be prop
erly operated upon at the right time and
converted into 100 eight pound capons
to bring you over dollar apiece next
winter. Just as we'll have it done as
not. The old way they are not WORTH
over % cents each.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

The summer supply of fuel should be
got together right now and put where
the good wife can always have dry
wood If we were a woman and our
man should make us hunt fuel to cook
his meals with, we would feed him on
raw oatmeal and soggy biscuits until
he came to-
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

A reader tn Illinois wishes to know
whether speltz would be good crop
for him to grow on his farm, located in
central Illinois. We think not. SpeltH
Is not as good or as useful a cereal as
either wheat, rye. barley or oats where
they will grow, but has wide field of
utility in the dry or semiarid regions
where none Of these cereals will do
well. It would be, however, all right to
experiment with small patch and see,
but we would have no confidence In 1t
as useful plant for the locality
named.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

The farmers everywhere should get
up on both hind feet and insist that the
telephone poles which now are found
along almost all public highways stuck
out about four feet from the fences
shall be removed back on to the fence
line. AS now set it is impossible to
NOW the highways with any ease. We
often wonder what lunatic started this
They would be moved If on our farm
mighty quick.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11
Fewer acres md better seed and cub
ture should be the motto for the farm
work for the year 1906.

The acre reclaimed is always like the
lost sheep, an acre which always gives
US more pleasure to cultivate than the
ninety and nine which were always
good.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

When a farm produces much more
forage than can be consumed on the
place, such as corn slower, hay, straw
and the like, and this surplus forage
Is either wasted or destroyed, the gen.
eral plan of operation on such farm
needs changing. More land should be
put In pasture, a smaller area of &C.
reals raised and more stock be kept
The sllo is most valuable factor in
such new plan, its use on the average
sixty acre farm being good for the
keep Of at least fifteen more head Of
stock than it would ever carry under
the old plan.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

A friend wishes to know II, the bac-
terial culture supplied by the depart
ment Of agriculture Is Of value In treat
ing landSto be sown to clover. We hard
~ think that tits. Nearly all land will
grow clover, save the few localities
where the soil because of acidity has
become what Ia termed Glover sick"
The bacteria incident to the growth
and development Of the clover plant
are present In nearly all well drained
soils, and a dressing Of ten or twelve
loads of barnyard fertilizer to the acre
with manure spreader will In nearly
all cases insure vigorous growth Of
clover. The case seems to be different
with alfalfa, the bacterial life associat-
ed with the development Of this legume
either being entirely absent or in such
limited amount as to make the inocu-
lation Of the soil an important factor
In attempting to grow it.
There are few signs which mark
the good farmer which never fail. One
Is that he will not try to work more
land than he can do well, another that
he will insist on rotating his crops, an
ether that he will keep at least third
Of his land in clover or grass. He will
also save and use all the manure made
on the farm, and if he does not keep
registered stock he will at least keep
high grade animals Then his fall plow-
ing is done early-in August, If posi-
BILE. He will cut up his corn and save
the fodder. He Is quite likely to have q
silo, and you will usually find in his
poultry yard well bred chickens Of
some one breed. He will keep his home
yard neat and attractive, have tool
house and shed for his machinery,
keep his buildings painted and the
weeds cut along the highway on his
farm. He Is sure to attend his town
caucus and is quite likely to go to
church on Sunday, while his boys and
girls will have the advantage Of a
normal school or college education.
He will be reader and thinker as
well as worker, having found out
that brains count for more than mus
Gle in farm work. You know him ?
We do
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

The restless, migratory disposition Of
the American people is utterly destruc-
tive Of one Of the best assets Of life,
and that the benefits which grow out
Of continuity of residence and employ
ment In given place and with CIV
en- business. 1t is easy to find people
and they are pretty good people, too
who in the course of twenty-five years
have been in half dozen different
lines Of business and lived in a dozen
different places, roamed from the east
to the far west, from north to south,
been farmers, fruit growers, storekeep-
ers, spectators, handled insurance and
machinery, dabbled in politics and
preaching, always unsatisfed and
a-moving, never getting ahead in a
financial way and having few or no re-
liable and old time friends. While this
spirit Of unrest has done much to pop
ulate and develop all sections Of the
country and was the legitimate out
growth Of our pioneer life, Its day of
usefulness Is past, and no one lesson
is more needed to be learned by the
American people now than this of
sticking to one business and one To-
cality and thus reaping the valuable
rewards which inevitably are associat.
ed with continuity Of employment and
residence. 1t is all right to travel and
see the world as one has opportunity
but stick to the old home and the old
business
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-11

Continued in next issue.)
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-03-11

/ finish my breakfast. then ask myself:
What shall do next? Read? But there
is not book In my possession. or even in
the possession OF any man In 'Kolymsk.
that ! have not read and reread till
have almost learned it by heart Write?
What for? To amuse the officials into
the hands of which my papers will
eventually get? Study? What? The
only thing I can study here is languages.
And l do study English as far as / can
accomplish 1t without a teacher But
even this occupation progresses slowly.
What Is the use for me- "a slave Of
slaves. to learn the language OF free,
Aappy people among whom I shall proba-
bly, never live? / ask myself
II is time to prepare dinner / enter the
house take badly preserved fish out OF
my scanty pantry. and boil II in water
with a little salt. nauseous odor
emanates from the kettle but ! long ago
learned to be Indifferent to Il. Besides
this. there is no choice, no other provi-
sions being procurable. ! eat because l
am hungry, and leave the fish, as soon as