The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1911-09-21

made an arrangement with the insurance
man who shared my Office to make the
best sale he could of my meagre effects
and send me the proceeds, and then l
hurried to my boarding house, where !
packed my trunk and told my amazed
landlady that my room was at her dis
posal. WE'LL within the hour Mr.. Ran
nails and were on our way to his farm,
which was located some twenty miles
west of the city.
Mary" said Mr.. Rannals, this is
Robert Chanlor-a lawyer who has fail
ed
1t was my introduction to Mrs. Ran
mails, motherly, gray-haired woman to
whom nv heart went out at once. And
| further acquaintance only served to con-
firm in me the belief that kinder or
more womanly woman never lived. No
one will ever know what Mrs. Rannals
did for me. l can never make anyone
understand how she comforted me during
my first days of loneliness, or how her
| faith in me many times helped me Danish
black encouragement.
The next morning | was given an old
black team and put to work narrowing a
potato field. 1t was dull work, and
tramping back and forth over the yield
ing earth was especially trying on soft
and habby leg muscles. By evening l
was too tired to eat, and after hot bath
went to bed, where tossed for an hour
or more, unable to forget those tortured
and complaining muscles. The next day
| Mr., Rannals gave me an easier task, but
was still unable to see any JOY in farm
life.
Gradually my fabby muscles hardened
and was able to do my work without
undue WEAKNESS, but took no pleasure
in it. The potato ground was at length
prepared, and l finished it on big As
pinwall planter. But was tired of my
lob and about ready to quit; could not
see that was accomplishing anything.
Early one morning Mr.. Rannals and l
walked out upon the potato field. The
dark green leaves Of the young plants
were poking their way comically through
the soil, and in that moment got my
first insight into one of the compensa-
tons of the farmer. For the first time
| saw some of the tangible results of my
own labor and there never came time
after that when could not look little
way into the seemingly impenetrable
future and catch a glimpse of the pay
car.
"a good job" was Mr.. Rannals' COM
ment, "and every promise of satlsfac-
tory crop. If we farmers must venture
the hazards and uncertainties of chang
ing seasons, we none the less deal with
the verities. One solemn fact of life is
creation, and while we do not ourselves
create, we are constantly observing and
are continually associated with the mira
cle.'
At the close of the season | had more
money in the bank than | had ever had
before, for had spent only few dollars
for simple articles of clothing. At re-
duced wages l remained with Mr.. Ran
mails during the winter, and the next
spring he employed me Tor the ensuing
year at thirty dollars a month.
With the apple blossoms of May came
Nancy, and | at once drew a part of my
savings from the bank in order that
might freshen my wardrobe. Before
that time | had not noticed how ragged
had become, but some linen, couple of
ties, and moderate priced suit did Won
ders for my selfrespect. Nancy Fitz-
gerald was Mir. Rannals' niece, who had
come from Carroll, Iowa, to make her
home with her uncle-at least she would
be with them a year, Mrs. Rannals told
me. She was twenty years of age and
as dainty as the pink and white blossoms
that came with her. Her eyes were a
clear and sparkling blue. her hair unde-
niably red, and her nose up-tilted, but l
didn't know whether she was pretty or
not and didn't much care; knew that
| was going to like her and | hoped she
was going to like me.
Nancy is a good girl and capable
GIRL" said Mr.. Rannals to me one day.
1--WE are her only living relatives, and |
hope she may make her home with us,
| but whatever her final decision may be,
Nancy is we'll able to take care of her
self"
had no doubt about it, for it was
evident at the beginning that she would
not become a useless pensioner. / am
not sure but that is what attracted me
most in the beginning-her passion for
usefulness. She and Mrs. Rannals were
like two girls together. They divided
the work of the household between them
and Nancy always contrived to select the
more difficult and laboriouS parts of it.
During the summer | became more and
more interested in both the practical
and theoretical sides of farm work. Mr..
Rannals was good farmer and fairly
prosperous one, but he had small re-
spect for knowledge gained from books.
My own studious habits had led me to
understand the necessity of theoretical
knowledge, and spent good many of
my evenings in reading and studying.
Nancy fell into the habit of studying
with me and l was amazed at her knowl-
edge Of the subject.
Where did you learn all of this?"
asked her one evening. cit seems to
me that you know something of every
phase of agriculture.
''Oh," she replied, my father was a
student and he taught me all l know. He
could have specialized in agriculture had
he so desired and made success"
1t was the first time she had ever
spoken of her father, and l concluded,
from her guarded words, that he had not
been success in any line; and tine fact
that so little had been said about him by
Mr.. Rannals and his wife served to con-
firm me in that belief
doubtless, said l, she had other in
terests which occupied his time and at
tention.'
II dc not Think she replied, flushing
slightly, that he ever permitted any
one thing to occupy much Of his time"
l was working in the cornfield one
morning in September, whistling softly
and thinking of Nancy. Some way had
IL - l.