Arizona republican., 1908-06-25

parlor furniture, said to be worth forty-6ve dollars to a ffty-cent jack-knife. But when people learned the conditions of the compet- ton, they ceased wondering and admired his busi- ness enterprise For only squashes grown from seeds obtained of Mir. Armitage were eligible for prizes, and to get seeds it necessary to buy at least dollars worth of his goods. Joe Edwards. as soon as the competition was an nounced, started into town with a dollar and half to buy pair of shoes for his sister Jennie He and his mother managed to retain possession of their comfortable old house the outskirts of the village only by exercising the closest economy. There two other children besides himself and Jennie-Stephen, named for their father. and baby John. In summer their rooms were filled with boarders from the city and money was more p entr- full but at this time the season for boarders had not
 When Joe left MT Armitage's shop that day, besides the shoes he had little pasteboard box containing dozen dried seeds.
 Joe was eager to get home, so he took short through the orchard. As he jumped the last stone wall he spied the children tumbling around the grass, enjoying the first really warm day of the sPring-or last year baby John little to play As they caught sight of Joe they tunbled baby into the huge basket which they had brought out for his house and, lifting 1t between them, started to head Joe off. Easily guessing that Jennie was anxious to see the new purchase he walked off to the last years onion-bed in secluded spot back of the house.
 When it comes to rapid growing other gar den vegetable compares with the squash-vine Even under adverse conditions 1t will run so fast that its progress be marked from one day to the next To guard against accidents, Joe planted half dozen seeds. and, when the shoots appeared, watched them carefully in order to find as soon as possible which was the hardest At the end Of two weeks he rooted up all but two, leaving these opposite ends of the bed so that they would not interfere with each others growth.
 One morning the middle of June he was measuring and comparing measurements, when he heard step behind him, and looked up to find MT. Alward the boarder
 Good morning." said Mir Award You taking particularly good of that squash-vine."
 Joe had a poor opinion of city peoples knowl- edge of farming matters; but Mir. Award showed such an intelligent interest that he answered his questions politely and in the end told all about the prize contest. "I haven't much hope Of winning, said he S"but there's no harm in trying Most of us boys are. Perhaps I'll get one of the smaller prizes"
 Your chazces are as good as anybody's," replied Mir Award. You have chosen excellent piece of ground and your squash is doing frst-rate. l am
 "Is that sol" exclaimed Joe, stopping work "Then perhaps you can give me some points on how to do this. Do you think the vine is growing fast enough? It is two inches longer than 1t was yesterday morning"
 Plenty fast enough; in fact, if it were mine should7't> let it get much longer. You see the prize is not for the longest vine, but the largest squash. And the longer the vine-beyond certain point-the smaller the squash. 1 several little squashes: which do you intend to cultivate for the prize"
 q haven; picked out any particu17~ o~~" Fo;d