Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-06-07
Improvea.By Matrimonv
From the Kansas City Journal.

I'm TIC hdHsas OIly journal
Kansas is State of novelties in
many lines, and her farmers are not
the least behind the rest of the popula-
tion IN invention and Initiative. One
OF the Sunfiower States agriculturists
confined the business of contracting
advantageous marriages sor his four
daughters and at the same time en-
hanclng the value Of the broad acres
which they grace. That be stumbled
upon this remarkable system quite by
accident does not detract from it's
worth in the least, and his experience
is recounted that it may convey pre-
| fitable hint TO other fathers of girls
who grace farms and who are not
averse to contracting advantageous
matrimonial alliances.
1t seems that the farmer, whose
name was Daniel Kindred, had strug
gled manfully for many years to rear
his daughters in intelligence and thrift
but when they had reached the age
which suggests fight from the parent
al roof they still fingered -wistfully, it
is true, but persistently. One day
kindred-whose very name seemed
I hoodoo-sent an advertisement to a
newspaper, stating that he wanted
farm hands, and as an additional in
ducement specified that every man who
applied would have chance to WOO
daughter, provided and here was the
critical clause-every claimant to a
daughter should do something of a
beneficial nature to improve the farm.
The first man who applied at the
Kindred farm for work and daugh-
ter was from the East, and claimed to
be a..graduate from an agricultural col
lsge. He was retained, and after he
had looked upon the youngest daughter
and found her exceedingly fair he be-
gan to speculate on the farm improve
ment idea. Kindred wanted him to
begin at the other end of the line of
daughters, which is the usual parent
al sentiment in familyrof girls, but
this he firmly declined to do. Before
he had been on the farm week he had
installed an irrigation ditch and stone
inclosed fishpond, which he stocked
with bass and piekerel. Kindred look
ed upon this achievement and saw
that it was good. The man got the
daughter.
The second applicant piped water
from an artesian well into the house
and put in a porcelain bathtub. In
addition to this, he cared disease in
some of the Kindred cattle and won a
prize. The third man was dreamy
eyed but enthusiastic After choosing
one of the remaining daughters he
started out zealousIy to earn her. First
he invented some sort of lightning red
to be fixed to each domestic animal,
with spines along the back and head
and the ground connection beside the
hoofs. But Kindred was not im,ress-
! ed, and sard it wouldn't do. The in
ventor tried again. This time he was
successful. He built waterwhesl at
the artesian well, riggel up an electric
generator, which runs, the churn, sew
ing and washing machines, lights the
house and barns and furnishes power
for sawmllls, etc. He was rewarded
by Kindred in the promised way There
is only one daughter remaining, which
Is regretted exceedingly by Kindred,
who had formerly considered girls a
burden. But he is hanging on to his
one daughter for something really ex-
traordinary in the way of inventions.
1t will be an exceedingly difficult
thing to win this last rose But If a
young man is really crafty he will first
md some way to secure wife for the
old man, who is widower. This
would be such an improvement to the
latter's life as would merit the recogni-
tson of ever so exacting a father. Then
the happy family would be complete.
! For scratches, burns, cuts, insect
bites and the many little hurts
| common to every family. DeWltt's