Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-09-28

1.-THE farm hands, much to their delight,
a weeks vacation.
REST up till the crops are up" he
lsaid. "Then we will have to work
more earnestly and skilfully to prevent
the crops being taken by grass"
After writing letters home, which
were merely a reiteration Of ones we
had written before, telling Of how de-
Lighted we were with Magnolia, how
we'll we were progressing with our
work, what a cozy room we had, how
kind Mr.. and Mrs. Bright were to us.
and Of what we were studying during
spare hours, we began to decide how
we would spend our vacation. Some
of the other hands left Immediately to
spend the week at distant homes. But
Ladson and I chose less expensive
and what seemed to us a more delight
full way of spending the forth coming
week by deciding to remain at Mag
nolia.
Here and there, is the place we will
spend our vacation" I said, pointing
across the dusky breadth Of cotton
fields to the distant Catawba."
I'VE could better spend the time in
study rather than in idle sport and
worthless play" Ladson replied.
"Pshaw!" 1 exclaimed, I'VE can stu
dy at night"
Ladson agreed with me and matters
were arranged accordingly. The love-
| ly days that followed we spent down
by the sweet-murmuring river, The
greater part of the nights we spent
with our precious books making prep
aration for life's work.
! 1t was Saturday morning, the last
day of our delightful vacation week.
Larks were caroling sweetly in Mrs.
Brights flower garden, and far across
the meadows we could hear the
dreamy tinkle Of the COW bells. While
we were eating breakfast and chatting
with Mrs. Bright, Mr.. Bright looked
at us over his morning paper and said,
with a smile:
We'll, boys, it seems to me you have
passed a very busy week, working
your bodies in the daytime and your
brains at night"
I'VE have enjoyed it immensely, sir,"
Ladson replied. "As the poet says, we
have 'reveled mid the beauties Of ma
ture' and have, think, spent valuable
time studying the habits Of our friends
of the fields and woods"
"A very pleasant and profitable
pastime," rejoined Mr.. Bright. After
few minutes of thoughtful silence
he added: ----s
II learn from Mr. Massey that you
boys are working here this year in or
der that you may lay aside enough
money to defray expenses at school,
which you intend attending next year"
Yes, SIR" replied, that's the rea-
son we quit our easier but small-sal-
aried positions at the grocery store"
I've been thinking" continued Mr..
Bright, "of helping you without 1t be-
ing said that help was given free of
charge. Mr. Massey tells me you have
been good workers, and it gives me
pleasure to help those who prove
themselves worthy Of commendation.
There are several ways l have thought
of that you can earn the needed help,
but the best plan, to my mind is one
I'll now disclose. The state fair is to
be held at Charlotte the latter part Of
October A twenty-five dollar prize
is to be awarded the person or persons
who exhibit the largest pumpkin. So
if you boys care to compete, I'll make
a better offer I'll give hundred dol
lars to the one of you who raises the
largest pumpkin this year, provided 1t
weighs not less than forty pounds"
"Oh, Mr.. Bright" we exclaimed, af-
ter an interval of speechless surprise
and joy, "of course, We'll try"
Remember this contest is independ
ent of all Others" Mr.. Bright resumed.
It's just between you two. If you
raise a pumpkin weighing over forty
pounds 1t will be pulled and taken to
the fair, October twentieth"
Ladson and 1 were jubilant. And 1t
was not long till we had convinced Mr..
Bright of the genuine joy we felt.
When breakfast was over, Mr. Bright
said:
Boys, there's a piece of bottom
land down by the meadow pasture
which will give you as your field of
operations. It's a very small plot, but
the soil is exceedingly fertile and will,
think, suit your purpose exactly. You
will be allowed to have only two vines
EACH four in all. So you see 1t will be
necessary for you to take many pre-
cautions in order that the birds and in
sects, or some fence jumping cow, per-
haps, will not molest or destroy your
vines ere the pumpkins are matured."
After profusely thanking Mr.. Bright
for his great kindness, we Immediately
began the preparation for the planting
of the seed which we hoped would
bring to one or the other Of us an aid
to the realization Of long cherished
dream.
, The plot of ground designated by
, Mr.. Bright was perfect rectangle in
shape, being forty feet long and twen-
ty feet wide. A peaceful spot it was
and exceedingly fertile. Some distance
from it was the meadow pasture, while
close by ran a narrow, but deep brook.
/ It's just the place to practice irri-
| cation if drought comes" Ladson de-
: clared, as we were clearing off the
briars which had grown up on the
: abandoned spot of ground.
All Saturday we worked making prep
l aration for the planting. We broke
the land deeply with a two-horse turn
= plow, followed by d two-horse sub
= soil After scattering on the surface
/ what we considered the necessary fer
/ tilizer, we narrowed the ground several
s times with a drag harrow. This done
= to our satisfaction we planted the pre-
cious seed, using the well-known Mann
moth variety. There was only one
4 row, containing just four hills, through
Y the center of the rectangular spot
4 Ladson chose the two hills on the west
end, next the brook, leaving me the
tU,n np the on1 paXt 70 bo n