The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-09-27

MOEL HART folded the letter and placed it
in his inside pocket. 1t read simply:
S Il leave for Denver, Friday, and will stop
- at Norris to talk things over with you"
W But to him those words meant much for
~~ thing, they represented almost the only
secret that he had ever kept from his mother.
He stopped moment at the barn door to look
across the and wheat fields, whitening beneath
the fierce heat of the July sun, then he sadded Pinto
and started on the ten-nile to Morris.
Two great events in Joels life had the
year that he seventeen: the death of his
father and the other a change within his own heart.
He sometimes thought the one had come at the
time it did that he might have strength to bear the
other for Joel loved his father and the loss that had
/ left the home empty had laid upon the boys
young shoulders a heavy load Of responsibility
It was chiefly for Ephraim Harris health that the
family had moved into the West, and the clear dry
air OF the plains, which had done little for the
crops had given added months of life to the hopeful
failing man. 1t that which had kept up their
hearts during those first two years of drought when
hundreds OF settlers had given up and gone back
East.
1T doesn't matter" Mrs. Hart would say, $50
long as father keeps we'll and happy"
said: ''~''' 'A'''1 - "'O assent anu "e'ShO0FS
! well. maybe the Harris can stick it out They've
/ But only Joel and his mother knew how mea-
ger were those eastern resources, how heavily
they had been drawn upon.
Then came their year of plenty with its. generous
rains when the father, his wheel chair upon the
porch could look across fields ripening an abund-
ant harvest and, in a voice which grew each day
weaker, would talk of the good times which were
coming, when he should once more be we'll and
strong; the years of drought had plainly been ex-
ceptlonal the soil was as fertile any in the world
prosperity had come to stay; and Joel and his
mother, who saw only too clearly the end that was
coming so quickly now.. encouraged him in all his
hopeful prophecies
The autumn's richcharvest. hadxbeen gathered in
winter mad passed and then had come exactly suchs
a spring as they had known those first two years
Dry winds swept for days across the prairies there
was scant rain in May and almost none in June
When July came, they could that nothing but
speedy and abundant rain could save fraction
Wen be ruined if it doesn't rain" Joel said to
Old Dr Cameron, to whom he had gone for advice
and comfort "We couldn't sell for the cost of orr
buildings 1t isn't myself I'm Young and strong
and can earn living anywhere but mother hasn't
the health she used to have, and Ruth and Sadie,
they are to lose all that their father saved for them
when he was well and strong. And then at the
worst we are better off than Others there are dog
s sRs yes hundreds who will suffer more than we
Have you ever read of.the men who are cuItivat-
ing parts of the Sahara" said DR. Cameron snd
denly looking up at the boy. "Now these western
plains they may have been meant to be irrigated or
they may be best adapted to crops that you have not
tits all so new" answered Joel mo never
looked at It that way before. Ill-I have to think
It out It" he hesitated-"it shakes me up some
It's like the parable in the Bible about the houses
somewhere the floods have come and the winds
blow OF course my-house has got to stand ali
right only his voice died OFT and for some
moments he sat silent
Dr. Cameron had had hurry cali to the next
town to see patient, and Joel walked with him 70
the station shook hands with him and stood watch
ing as the train pulled slowly out On the rear plat
form two men, apparently tourists were standing
and as they were Whirled past scrap of their con-
versation reached his ears:
simply depends whether dry farming
and the rest was lost in the rumble of the train.
But the half dozen words stuck in his memory
and all the way home, whenever he was not ponder
ng what pr. Cameron had said, he was WONDERING
what dry farming" might mean
N Mother, asked Joel; as he sat down next morn
7 don't know" she answered what makes Won
lsk! don't think ever heard of it before,
heard two people talking about it YESTERDAY
lelp us" W "ou'u
I think it's chickens" announced Sadie
Joel and his mother laughed, for it was family
oke thar the poultry always paid no matter what
he season, but the answer did not satisfy Joel.
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