Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1911-01-27

Sand what do you know about the
land yourself r. /. IL = n BEE.
Gwen, a little BIT. Mebbe Z wasn't
always a tramp. This farm was being
worked hundred years ago. The soil.
is exhausted and dead It wants bring
Ing back. Here's a ten acre lot that
would raise near a thousand bushels
Of taters If treated right r aa #= US VT. 81
AN the tarnel bugs would eat up
every vine as soon as it showed above
the ground" replied the grouchy wild
ow. IN. ~. 49,, ~, 5sE
"Um! I'm! Woman, let's talk. Let's
talk business. Let's talk of a thou
sand bushels of taters." 49,:
They talked for an hour. The widow
had been cozened once and was very
chary, but the tramp talked straight,
and she finally became interested.
From that she came to believe. There
must be some money raised for work
ing capital. She mortgaged the team
Of old horses and agreed to board the
tramp for his work and divide any
profits with him in the fall. !. 1t was to
be ten acres of potatoes and nothing
else but a little garden truck. A.. u
AS soon as spring opened the ground
was prepared. The tramp had silver
watch he had ''picked up somewhere.
1t went toward getting the field ready.
The LAST Of the widows money went
for seed There were a great deal of
laughter and ridicule over that part
nership. That soil would grow null.
leins and .thistles, but as for potatoes,
nix, SO all the passing farmers said
The potato bugs came along in due
time. 1t was the seventh year. Some;
farmers had forgotten the date; while
others had laid in proper store Of
paris green. The tramp had said that
none would be needed on the ten acres.
Not pound was bought. Dire disaster
was predicted. The bugs were number
less. They swept over half the state,
and they hit Colfax county worst Of
all. Farmers drew the green powder
for ten miles, and their: women and
children sowed it on to the vines by
daylight and by moonlight, but the
bugs seemed to revel in it. No vine got
six inches above the ground. g.
When the word went forth that the
tramp farmer was not using a single,
ounce of preventive and that not a
dozen bugs could be found in his big
field there were callers in plenty He
was offered as high as $50 for his
secret, but he smiled and kept on with
his work. When he made any, reply
at all it was that luck happened to be
with him. With hoe in her hand, the
widow worked beside him, finishing
her row at the same time he did.
Sometimes they talked as they worked;
again they had nothing to say for half
q day at a time. They had said it was
to be business partnership, and they
stuck to it. sS..ss ..:.,%$E 4 ta. &zz
+ In time that ten acre field attracted
more public attention than the new
/ county courthouse. Potatoes were
only 30 cents bushel before the bugs
came. Then they went to so. When
the first were fit for market they, sold
for IS cents. When it was known
that the state crop was a failure the
price jumped to 81. Then one day %
Spectator came along and offered a
price for the tubers in the ground. It
was accepted. It was greater sum
than any farmer in the state had made
from all his crops put together. The
widow could lift the chattel mortgag
on the horses, renew and repair and no
longer scrape the bottom Of the flour
barrel. q ssz + : 4 d Z; Is 5.- 4. ii.s.
There was an even divide. of the
money at the kitchen table. The
tramp took the $50 and put it away
and laid the balance on the widows
pile. 4. i5 ..= d N q a s.s {5zs 81 81
Fifty will last me for a hundred
years to come he said q.
III But you must take your hal ], 4 was
protested. 81 l.s &. 81. % 8s=,.
nj s" You can be my banker till / come
this way again I just wanted to see
. IL had become entirely worthless to
1 the world and n Yself. and as IA IS III
dent Of agricultural chemistry Ii:want-
ed to periment9 with old 4 NJ other
Earth once more. I've got the wan.
derlust strong on me again, and it's
goodby. s5
The widow Il wanted to say many
Il kind words to him.. for / he had been
considerate, strong and indust rious.
and ia eVery; way; reliab Bile, but when
she had prepared his supper and look
ed Tor him he was not {, found, nor
I'D. he come again 81. tie passing
/ years. u