New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1905-06-07

How Old Job
Was Won
BY FRANK H. SWEET
Copyright, 1905, By Frank Il. Sweet

opposed the sons going to college until
the boy in self defense had taken mat
tiers into his own hands and gone away
without permission to work his own
way. Now old Job was sick, and the
farm was under the inadequate care
Of hired man, and all the springs and
brooks were drying up and the cattle
suffering. But the obstinate old spirit
was not broken. He now looked up,
snarling:
"a windmill agent, Ell? Well, tell
him to co.
something's got. to be done, Job.
Our man
eyes, yes, know" Old Job drew
deep, long breath. But the horses and
cattle were needing more water, and
whatever else old Job might be he low
ed his dumb animals and would do for
them what he would not dream Of do
ing for himself. The windmill would
be humbug, for there was no water
in the land to feed it, but it seemed
the only thing at hand.
"Yes, something's got to be DONE"
he repeated; $50 you can let the man
put in his windmill. 1t will be good
for the birds to build nests on If moth
ing more And Hiram will like to look
up at it when he comes home. But
don't let it go over 5000. That's what
offered our neighbor for half his
spring." grimly. 'You can let him go
right to work. Our hired man will step
spryer for seeing it start. He's like
Hiram for newfangled things"
He watched her gather up his al
bling hands, an expression on her face
such as he had not seen for years. At
the door he called her back. .
''Being it's on our own land, we
ought to be willing to pay more than
offered that rascal over the fence for
his spring." he said, 81 haven't any
idea what windmills cost, but you can
tell him he may go to $500 and not a
cent more. That will satisfy you and
Hiram and the hired man, maybe.
When 1 get out I'll sink we'll a hun
dred feet deep if need be. If that don't
bring water I'll sell and clear out"
maybe you'd rather I'd see about
having we'll dug instead of getting
the windmill?' his wife suggested.
NO." ungracously. ''I'd rather at
tend to that myself. 1 don't believe
either one will bring water, but the
folks to say we give up without trying
/ to do something"
The next day his wife announced
that the farm was being looked over
for the best place, and the day after
that a dry looking knob at the end of
the barn was concluded to offer better
prospects for water than anywhere
else. Old Job listened in grim silence
The third day he could hear the sounds
Of workmen. Ten days later one OF
! two Of these workmen seemed to be
busy about the house, and he wondered
what they could be doing. But his OBJ
stinacy would not let him ask CUES.
; tons.
1t was nearly two weeks after this
when his wife came into the bedroom
| one day, her eyes shining
TITS done, job" she said, her voice
| quavering little with the very joy of
! the news, land it's all come out sc
nice. Here''-and she laid a roll of
money on the bed beside him-''it s
| what there was left, $42."
Old Job stared at her. "You don't
mean they've found water off there to
the end Of the barn?' he demanded.
Eyes," TREMENDOUSLY, land it's such
nice water, just like a spring We've
got it piped in the barn In three places
and into the house It runs right into
my sink. Oh, job her voice catching
in happy sob at the thought, ''every-
things going to be so easy for us now
And you said we could use the $780,"
"Yes." He picked up the little roll
I with an odd look on his hard, old face
But don't quite understand, Betty
[ supposed the man would say the
windmill came to just $500 and that II
wouldn't pull up water then. And
about all the piping you spoke Off
wasn't meaning to do that Didn't II
cost a lot? And what did the man
charger"
"He-she didn't charge a cent, Job, y
little confusedly. at was one of the
neighbors. And the windmill and pip
ing only cost $24O, and some extras
about $40 more. There was $42 left"
| Old Job was silent for some min
utes. Then he pushed the money to-
ward her.
Put it on some house fiXin's, Bet
IT," he said gruff1y II was willing tc
pay $780," ... ...
''Then let's run some pipe to the up
land pasture behind the barn." she urg
ed eagerly. "You know it's always
been too dry to crop. But if it's irri
gated it'll be one Of the best fields
And it won't cost over SIS"
"Did the windmill man say that?'
eyes, and the bottom meadow on the
lower side, that's always wet, coul6
be drained for $3.50. 1t would make
splendid land then"
"a hundred and fifty seventy-five,
unused old Job thoughtfully "'Twoul6
pay big if it could be done" Then