Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1908-05-22
Or. Awdrey camo in clapplng bi. hands,

Or. Awdrey camc in clapping bis hands,
Tor, L remember, it was bitterly cold
and, pulling of 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 vir1e energy, and vigor, and trl-
umph, which one may see on a man when
be 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
inch OF Ice; and it has often struck me
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 self-glorihcation, 1t
would be infinitely better for oneself and
ones fellow creatures. 1t was a moral
plunge OF this kind that animated and
beautiied the Doctors face that MORN
ing. felt sure. He sat down before the
IRE warming his hands and talking about
the weather for some minutes then, after
pause, he said
Are there any farms to let about here,
Keene, do you know?"
YES" said l 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?"
"Pll tell you," said 1; its 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-Pd stake my
reputation on it," | exclaimed you
know nothing about farming, doctor; but
with your dogged 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 il than by your med
ical practice"
Il am very glad to hear you think So"
said he, cheerfully.
why? Do you think Of taking
farmr l asked hopefully.
He nodded. l was never better pleased
in my life, and l told him so.
"Now, there's Thibalds farm" said I.
you could get that at fifteen shllings an
acre, know"
TOO far off. How about Captain Ran
gers farm-do you think he wants to give
up"
II know he does. He must Can't 90
on losing eight hundred a year"
Eight hundred a year? That's a good
deal to 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 a
! year for robbing him. and because he's
no more farmer than you are a lawyer.
It's famous land-the best in the county.
I'll get the place, house and all, for q
pound an acre. You're bound to make it
pay; it's the very thing for you
WELL" said he, rising, u shall &C
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 misgiving 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 be continued.)