The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-10-11

A--k-------k- iSit iio slSu. Oht
IN August, 1868, at the age of twenty.
TWO, this young farmer had gone to his
cornneld 10 top stalk" the corn. 10
was seen to enter the field, but no one
IN that region saw him afterward.
What became of him remained an I'M
solved mystery.
1t was hinted among neighbors and
relatives that Ansel had found his life
100 hard for him. His young wife,
Lois, was known to be more ambitious
Tor thrift and money getting than he.
Rumor had it that she had set for them
the stint of laying up $500 a year off
their little farm, come what would;
that she scrimped their table to the
last degree of frugality, and that she
was constantly urging Ansel on to Ia
Dor, early and late without holiday
from January TO December.
This gossip may have been true, or
true in part. From generations of New
England thrift such economical
young housewives have sometimes
sprung, but the fact remained that An
sci had gone away and said nothing.
Lois version of it to her friends was
that Ansel had proposed that morning
that they should attend camp meet
ing then in progress-not very riotous
form of recreation, certainly-but that
she had urged him to top-stalk tile
corn. She thought that he would come
back when he had "got over his odd
fit"
Lois remained upon the farm, which
was unencumbered, and she carried it
on herself after a fashion of her own.
She kept cows and poultry, and pros
pered as spsa frugal soul naturally
would. 1t is said that she came near
laying up her "stint" every year. More
over, she obtained six per cent. for her
money on mortgages, and in twenty
eight years became the wealthest
woman in that rural community. But
She still lived alone, and had cautiously
avoided all entangling alliances.
On her forty-eighth birthday, as she
sat eating her frugal supper alone, the
outer door opened and Ansel walked
In, drew up chair on the other side
Of the table, and sat down in his old
place opposite her. Lois knew him in
stantly, although beard now over
spread his formerly boyish, smooth
face.
swell, Ansel Sanderson, I suppose
you have come back to claim the
farpn ~ chn coi1 Of Gil nf
moments duration.
mo, Lois, L don't want the farm"
replied Ansel. 81 had enough Of it
twenty-eight years ago. But should
like some supper. l want four boiled
eggs and sheet of warm biscuit and
butter"
Eggs are going up, Ansel,' replied
Lois.
"That was about the last thing you
said to me in 1865" Ansel remarked.
"But will pay for my supper, Lois.
If have anything here, I'll pay cash
for 1t. Only won't be scrimped again,
Lois"
He got the four boiled eggs and the
sheet of warm biscuit and butter, and
during the evening they compared
notes and talked matters over. Both
had prospered. Lois had accumulated
ebOut $4,000, and Ansel was able to
make display of Government bonds
and bills to the amount of nearly $780,
900.
Between them they then came to
new agreement, protected by express
stipulations on both sides. Ansel was
10 pay $4 week for his board, but was
TO have just what he called for each
day. He had that put down in black
and white. He had no claim to the
farm, admitting that his rights to it
were "outlawed" He agreed to work
for Lois whenever he pleased, and not
otherwise, at S1.50 a day in summer
and 81 a day in winter. No other
claims or obligations on either side
were to be allowed or admitted!
thus, after twenty-eight years, An
sci at fifty and Lois at forty eight, re-
sumed life at the farm again.
On the whole, it was not an unfair
arrangement. Both We're satisfied. 1t
was certainly no ones business bur
their own, and 1 am far from presum-
ing to critlcise it. mention it only as
the prelude to the story Ansel Sander
son told me of his wanderings during
the twenty EIGHT years he was "lost,"
and of the singular manner in which
he accumulated his $4,000. For it was
a matter of no little wonder among his
former neighbors and acquaintance
how a rolling stone" like Ansel could
have done SO well, and brought home
50 much money.
When he went away, with nothing
but the coarse clothes he was wearing,
he walked to another county fifty miles
distant, where he worked on a farm for
q fortnight. Then he walked on again
to the vicinity or Albany, N. l.. where
he worked for month. Then he took
a weeks holiday, and walked on again.
always westward.
For four years he alternately worked
and tramped through Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, TO
Kansas, always working on farms, gen.
orally about a month in a place, earn
1ng enough TO pay for his clothes and
Al.A holt h. A1I II