The Kemper herald., 1908-02-27


to suit myself" and Silas Gridley's
shrewd old face fairly purpled with
wrath.
II have the same right" insisted
Mears, that you or any other farmer
has-to get the market price for what
| | sell. When 1t comes to case OF
selling my work, the same rule holds
| good"-Mears measured every word.
Il have husked ninety-five bushels OF
| corn for you the last five days, by
your own measure-more than nun
| dred by any other farmers. ! heard
you say the other day that help was
hard to find, and if you could get
enough boys like me to husk your corn,
you could sell it all at more than the
market price. Now don't accuse me
of listening. You talked loud enough
for anyone to hear who was husNng
within twenty yards of the barn.
Please remember the buyer was trifie
hard of hearing" In vain did SilaS
Gridley fume and interrupt. The cool,
self-pOssessed lad talked on to the
point. "If you'll pay me what you owe
that extra cent on a bushel and fif-
teen cents for the extra five, I'll
promise to have five boys here by
Monday morning. Well finish your
corn in time for you to get the ad-
vance price"
You'll be likely to, you young ras-
call" fairly shouted the farmer. You'll
get your money and run!"
"All right" said Mears coolly, GER
tain that he saw signs of weakening.
81 can't expect you to trust anybody
when you haven't been honest your
self" And the lad turned and walked
away scornfully.
A quick vision of the financial loss
he was about to sustain flashed through
old man Gridley's mind. 1t wasn't a
pleasant picture to contemplate, in
view of the recent poor crop of wheat.
Mears had nearly reached the road
when he heard an imperative summons
to stop. The farmer came painting
down the lane
See here" he sputtered, eff you put
statement down in black and white
that l can depend on five good husk-
ers-five, remember-I'll pay you what
you ask, though it's agin' my better
judgment. A bargains bargain"
Mears ignored the last sentence.
'I'll make out paper agreeing to
furnish five boys-they'll finish your
corn by Monday night-if you'll give
me written agreement to pay each
hN1 to- Tor ht,cbnl q
husks, fair measure
Silas Gridley knew that he was
caught by a boy of sixteen. 1t was
fortunate for him that he had saving
sense of humor. Think you're pretty
foxy, don't you?" he chuckled.
Guess you're no lamb in a horse
trade. I'll git that paper in jiffy, but
mind, you'll have to furnish the boys
or you're up against it. And say he
added, after counting out the addition
al silver, while you're hurrying around
for boys, jest drop into the Barnes
House and tell Mr. Scudder-that's
the buyer-that Silas Gridley wants 10
see him; that he'll be down bout eight
O'clock"
Sure you can trust me?" flashed
Mears, with sly twinkle as he started
home I'm glad l stuck it out" he
thought; "but didn't really expect
he'd give in."
The fall months passed quickly.
Much to Mears' surprise, Mr.. Gridley
insisted upon his staying and paid him
good wages. There was the milk route
to look after, and when his employers
cows shrunk in measure the lad took
a daily drive of ten miles to buy from
the surrounding farmers.
Mears' progress in farming was the
source Of much merriment at home.
Many were the questions Ruby inno-
Gently asked Were Holsteins better
than Jerseys? Did he think the best
laying chickens were Buff Cochins or
Leghorns?"
Mears borrowed farm journals and
pored over them after supper.
There's no reason why l shouldn't
learn to do something WELL" he said.
"Book-learning isn't everything, but if
l can't go to school, l can get scien-
tific knowledge of farming. It's good,
healthy work, and pays as well as half
of the professions"
Mr.. Mitchell's letters were growing
more encouraging. He had improved
rapidly since all cause for worry had
been removed
One evening Ruby met her brother
at the door. What do you think is
going to happen? | can't keep it an
other minute. Fathers decided to
settle in Benton. He has good posi-
tion out there. But that isn't all.
There's the finest agricultural college
in the West, and he says-Mother, just
let Mears read it-that boy who can
get along with Silas Gridley and be
the head of the family for three months
ought to have the best kind of a chance
to become a scientific farmer. Young
Peoples Weekly.