Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-01-02
CHAPTER Ky

S11<Al l. LIN ~ -
The morning after my last visit to
Flexmore House l heard the crunching
of wheels in the ice of the gutter, and
glancing through the blind, caught
sight of Dr. Audrey. The old gig had
been mended. and he had bought new
nag of the same sober sort as the last
"Ha, ha ~ thought l hes come to set
tie about the two thousand a year that
Nurse Gertrude is to receive"
1t must be remembered that the par
| ticulars of the interview between Lynn
Yeames and Miss Dalrymple which | have
set down in the last chapter, had not then
come to my knowledge.
DR.. Awdrey came in clapping his hands,
| for, | remember, it was bitterly cold
and, pulling off one of his knitted gloves
| he gave me his hand His nose was red
but his fine, kindly eyes sparkled bright
| ly; and he had in his face that express
| sion of virile energy, and vigor, and tri-
| umph. which one may see on a man when
| he has broken the ice to take his morning
| plunge. But there are difficulties to over
come in carrying out a healthy moral
principle, that call for just as much nerve
and courage as diving through half an
| that if one braved as much personal in
convenience and discomfort in the SER
| vice of humanity as he will endure for
| the mere sake of -glorifcation, it
would be infinitely better for oneself and
ones fellow creatures. 1t was a moral
plunge of this kind that animated and
| beautified the doctors face that morn
| ing, l felt sure. He sat down before the
| fire warming his hands and talking about
| the wea ther for some minutes; them after
a pause, he said:
Are there any farms to let about here,
Keene. do you know"
YES" said / you may take your
pick of them for ten miles round Land
was never so cheap before. Rents have
gone down fifty per cent"
Then why don't farming pay?"
I'll tell you," said [: tits because
your farmer is too genteel to work, and
has to pay another for doing what he
ought to do himself-that's one reason"
IF a man were not too genteel to
work, if he put his heart and soul into it,
if he went into it as a man goes into bat
tie, setting his heart and soul on win
ming, how then?'
HE would make it pay-Td stake my
reputation on it," | exclaimed. You
know nothing about farming, doctor; but
with your logged perseverance and a GER
tain amount of intelligence that you
would bring to bear on it. even you might
make it pay and I'll guarantee that you
| would make more by it than by your med
ical practice
Il am very glad to hear you think So"
said he, cheerfully.
why? Do you think of taking
faun?" l asked hopefully.
He nodded l was never better pleased
in my life. and l told him so.
Now, there's Thibald's farm" said 1.
You could get that at fifteen shillings an
acre l know
TOO far off. How about Captain Ran
I gers farm-do you think he wants to give
up?"
Il know he does He must Can't go
on losing eight hundred a year"
Eight hundred a year? That's a good
deal 10 lose" he said, drawing a long
| face.
why does he lose it? Because he
never goes out of the house except to
hunt or shoot; because he's lounging
about his billiard room instead of look
| ing after his accounts when he's at home;
| because his wife keeps four servants;
because he pays Evans three hundred
year for robbing him; and because he's
no more a farmer than you are lawyer.
It's famous land-the best in the county.
III get the place. house and all, for
pound an acre. You're bound to make it
pay; it's the very thing for you.
Well" said he, rising. Il shall go
over and look at the farm this afternoon.
perhaps. Do you know if Captain Ranger
| is at home?"
He is. and he will be only too glad to
see you. I'll send a note up TO him this
morning. Leave all the negotiations to
me. / shall manage that better than
you could"
We shook hands and parted. but as
soon as he was gone z misg;ving seized
me. That misgiving was verified when
caught sight of him in the afternoon
jogging along in the gig towards Captain
Rangers. with Lynn Yeames on the seat
| beside him.
Ito De continually
|
Not more than 5000 stars are visible
| ~, Pho paEod ovo