The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-02-25

SO cents a barrel less N you can and
pay 5 cents a bushel more for grain
and then make money, I don't sec
how I'm injuring these people here.
! don't wan to go into business; !
came here to farm, but I'm going to
see fair play among my neighbors. i
rather think ! shall keep right on
that is, IL you still continue present
prices, and the people want to take
advantage OF my bargains. I'm not In
this 70 make money"
"All right, subj" The words came out
with a metallic snap. "Well see what
happens. Wen see. But let me tell
0 thing; you'd better go slow
Observation-Disclosures, or you'll get
into trouble. You remember that. IL
you don't want the biggest heap of
trouble YOU ever had in your life, you'll
mind your own business and let other
people mind theirs. Remember that.
I've given you fair warning
"Ummmml" He took several delib-
crate puffs al his pipe, then calmly
knocked out the ashes. so / hear.
But ! shall go right on as / have done,
and ! sort of reckon there won't be
any trouble. It's been a long time,
squire, since / wore anybody's collar
and chain on my neck, and ! reckon
I'm too old now to learn. I fought in
the war against slavery, and I'll fight
again fore I'll see slaves around me.
1 don't w you / cent, Mr.. Harris
wick. / own my farm clear, and you
can't intimidate or boss me. If you
pay fair prices for things, I'll quit the
business and be glad to. Whatever I
do I'll be fair and square and above
board, and I shan't injure nobody
that's honest. / reckon that's all the
speech / need to make just now. BY
Jimminy," turning his back on the
squire n changing his one com
pletely, Pm glad to hear that dinner
bell. I could eat a burnt boot" The
big farm bell on the kitchen roof was
changing merrily.
; All right, sub" The squire's jaw
sprung lige a rat trap" I'VE under
stand each other. Now, you remember
what ! told yeh. Don't you forget ii,
sub. You've tackled a hard nan to
beat-a man, suh." He wheeled and
strobe stormily toward his horse and
buggy. y
Coin to stay to dinner, amt you
squire 2" called out Dan a~nxiously.
NO. ! don't. want no dinner" He
sprang into his buggy and a moment
later was driving furiously down the
road.
The company filed into the long
kitchen in silence. They seemed awed
and frightened. Only Farthing and his
UOyS were Sell pOSSeSSeO, ana I0ey
speedily became the life and soul OF
the dinner hour, joking and chatting
and telling stories till the others Joined
in perforce. sd
The NOS of the company, however,
did not delay the meal. The brown
turkeys disappeared in a twinkling;
the stewed chicken ebbed low in the
milk pan; and the potatoes and vege-
tables We're shoveled into hungry
mouths as fast as iron knives could
be made to work with safety. Great
slices of bread were spread thick with
apple butter, and slowed away like
coal into a stoke hole. There were five
spreads" on the table, headed by the
Pennsylvania salve,"' without which
no meal is complete; there was a gall
lon Of cold slaw and a peck of krout.
Then came the cider, great glasses of
pure juice made late in October and
fit for a king. In 20 minutes it was
all over, and the women were alone
with the wreck. En-,
There was but one theme for con-
~versation on the homeward ride that
evening. Al Farthing had defed the
squire. Men and women discussed 1t
in awed voices. Not n of all those
at the butchering thought much of any
other topic, save, perhaps, young Jim
Farthing. who had seen a pair of black
eyes. fn.
tcontinued Next Weekl -