Middletown transcript., 1910-06-04

A)tSSS AAS NJesSSASSSSS- SA4S 80
mau-and was silent for some
moments.
What did You get for wheat?
he at length asked.
Fifty eight cents.
Sixty eight!
No, fifty eight.
You didn't sell for that, surely
Yes. It was all that Gray &
Elder would allow me.
Fifty. eight cents! Well that
beats all! And did you sell your
whole 800 bushels at that price?
Yes.
While I received sixty-eight
cents for mine!
You did?
Certainly / did. So you lost
just $50 on your wheat.
$50! How many comforts $50
would buy! said Hannah, letting
her work fall in her lap with q
gesture of dependency.
And what did you get for corn?
Twenty-Five cents.
Mine brought thirty.two. Just
seven cents difference. Ho W
many bushels had you?
/ sold S0O.,
At a loss of $21. $71 loss on
your wheat and corn. | don't
much wonder that you do not get
along. 1t requires two things to
make a successful farmer. In
telligence in agricultural matters,
to make the ground produce
freely, and that knowledge in re-
gard to the produce market nee.
essary to ensure sales at the best
price. You are a hard working
man, Peter, but, to ensure sue
cess, something beyond hard
work is needed. The head must
guide the hands. And to do this,
the head must be properly en-
lightened.
Uncle Ben inquired still more
minutely, and the results con-
firmed his irstimpression. There
was industry, but not enlightened
industry.
Do you take an Agricultural
psperH he asked.
No, replied Peter, with some
emphasis. I don't believe in
book.farming. I've seen too many
men ruin themselves by new ex.
periments. I was brought up
by one of the best practical farm.
ers in the state, and know my
business thoroughly. There's
only one right way 70 till the
ground, and I flatter myself that
1 understand that way.
Uncle Ben tried to show Peter
his error, but this was a subject
on which Peter grew warm at
once, and thus closed the avenues
OF his mind to all the appeals Of
reason.
Next day, Peter was absent on
business and the old gentleman
spent most Of the time with his
niece, asking questions, giving
advice minutely observing every.
thing. There was but little real
comfort in the dwelling, and little
CULTIVATION IN the children.
Ellen, the oldest, was a coarse,
hard working girl, who had been |
to school long enough to learn to |
read and to fill a few pages of
blank paper with pot.hooks and |
hinges. Beyond this, her mind |
was uneducated. Coarse and |
rough as she was, however, there
we're about her certain elements
of womanly beauty in the first
efforts of development, that Uncle
Ben perceived, and which awoke
for her, in his mind, a feeling of
interest and concern.
You're working Ellen too hard,
said he. as the girl passed, carry.
ing o large kettle Of boiling water.
l know it. Ellen ought to 90
to school. But ] can't spare her.
If we could afford help, it would
be different. 1t makes my heart
ache, Uncle Ben, whenever l think
Of the way our children are grow.
ing up.
All bad-very bad. Depend
upon it, Hannah, there's some.
thing wrong. You're all indus.
trious enough; all, in fact, over.
worked; and yet there is no thrift;
no order in your family; no cheer.
fulness-no comfort.
Hannah acknowledged, with
ears in her eyes. the truth Of the
picture. But she knew no rem.
sdy; and saw nothing but trouble
.head.
If we go on as we have been
,oing, we'll lose our farm in two ,
II three years; and then what is
o become of us allY l feel utterly
discouraged.