The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-01-04

~
Just forty"
II see by the papers that a good cow
ls worth $40. You will have to pay out
the sum of 81. 600 to get your drove.
! Had you figured on that?"
Mr.. BoYsers jaw dropped, and he
turned red. He hadn't.
You figure on ten quarIs Of milk per
day for each cow. That is summer fg-
Hring. 1f you get seven quarts a day
from each in the winter you will be do
Ing well. You must knock of many
hundred quarts from your estimate.
You must remember, too, that TO have
new milk cows in the spring some of
your COWS will be out of the milking
for weeks. Had you figured ON thatf'
You are finding fault Already he
growled as he pounded on the table
and bristled up. ~ might have known
thai you would do your best to kill a
good thing"
What Ii Win Cost.
But I'm not, dear. i only want to
understand how you figure. Each cow
will consume two and q half tons of
hay during the winter. That 10 100
tons for all, and at $40 per ton we
have $1,000. You figured on that, didn't
you?"
MIR. Bowser flushed red and white,
but did not answer.
There will be other food needed for
the winter IL you want the supply Of
milk kept up. and yop can put that
down at 500. You must have d team
and wagon to start with to deliver
your milk at the creamery. The cost
will be all of $500. To run the farm
and take care Of forty COWS you must
ave three men. / don't think you can
get them for less than $50 per month,
and you will have to board them. That
means 50 per week, besides the wages
and board Of a hired girl. Then you
must feed your team, you know. / sup
pose you provided for all these things"
Mr.. Bowser tried to say something
In reply, but words failed him.
"Iou speak of trading our place for
81 farm" continued Mrs. Bowser. HAS
the farm got Il COW barn ON it?"
Mr.. Rowser got up and walked about.
"Irobably not, or you would have
mentioned 1t at the start. Well, a good
barn for forty COWS and d team Of
horses will cost you at least $500. II
you are going into figures, you must
figure the interest on your capital. II
you are going to run a dairy farm, you
u figure in what your w time is
worth. You may have half a dozen
calves to sell in the spring, but you
may lose two or three cows in the
course Of the year If you raise your
own hay, corn and oats, you must have
agricultural implements. There will
be n constant replacing Of things. You
will also want a horse and buggy. Do
o think there is quite So 600 a year
in it for US. Mr.. Bowser?'
Changes His Mind.
"ln what?' he asked as he came to q
halt and glared at her.
why. we were figuring on the prof.
its of a dairy farm, and you said"-
Il said nothing-nothing whatever"
But you said
Mrs. Bowser, / am no man to refer
to any ones misfortunes, but as your
husband I feel it my duty to observe
that have seen signs of late that you |
are not quite right in the head. Don't
you think it would be a good Idea to
have the family doctor over here this |
evening to give us an opinion"
but you ann home and said YOU
were going into the dairy business"
she protested.
MIR. Bowser looked at her i'm q pity |
ing way n then passed down the
hall. He was boiling over. He had
gone into the dairy business to make
$4,000 a year and had come out with
out a gallon of frozen milk to his
name. He stood at the gate wonder
ing what he should tear down first
when a man came along and inquired
for Witherspoon.
Prepare to die. villain!" yelled Mr..
Bowser in reply. and the next minute
he was after the frightened man and
the two were going up the street at
rate Of thirty miles an hour. 1t
was dark. and a cold wind blew and
1uttered down, and az Mrs.
Bowser heard the yelling a the
she sighed and unused:
Poor Mr.. Bowser! { Poor forty
cows! Have l always got to stand
between him and a good thingT"