Imperial Valley press., 1911-12-11
PICKING UP
STONES
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1911, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

Farmer Josiah White was out in the
barnyard milking the one horned COW
when his wife came saunterIng out
She spoke about the new wagon shed
and the need Of a pump for the we'll
and finally got around to say:
Josiah. you won't be mad. will
you?"
Have you broke lot Of dishes?" he
asked us he looked up.
NO"
"Then l guess l won't be mad. What
Is it?"
George Lee was over here to see
Jennie today He's got back from col
lege He didn't stay but an hour, and
was sittin' with 'em on the veranda
all the time. Nothing to be mad about,
is there?'
wall. no, but / should have talked
right up to him if l had found him
here. He knows | can't abide a lazy
man. and that he can never marry Jen-
ME with my consent If she runs
away to marry him. then she can new
er darken my door ag'in. So he's back,
eh?"
Eyes; he's finished college,
"Wall, what's he goin' to do, now
that he's got through college? Is he
goin' to take right hold and work like
thunder to pay the old folks back?"
Josiah, l can't exactly explain what
he's made of himself, but pickin' up
stones has somethin' to do with it. Jen-
ME knows, and after he was gone she
said it was a good trade. Did you
ever hear of what they calls golgist"
Never, by gosh. and don't want to.
Coin to pickin' up stones, is he? Co
in around pickin' up stones instead Of
usin' a hoe in the cornfield. You
needn't say any more, Sarah. I can
see that he's turned out wuss'n l pre-
dicted he would"
Three years previous to the above
conversation George Lee, a farmers
son. had come courting Jennie White.
He was twenty and Jennie q year
Younger He was called a smart young
man. and Jennie was something of
belle. and from the farmers standpoint
it seemed to be good match. 1t
seemed so until young Lee announced
that he was going to college. That
changed Mr.. Whites opinion of him at
once Colleges We're for ShirkS and
squirts and one horse lawyers. They
simply spoiled farmers sons. Every
rascal he had ever read of had been
college graduate. He didn't turn the
young man out doors. but he gave him
to understand that the daughter would
be for some one who could tell cab
bage head from burdock.
I And unbeknOwn to him, though not
engaged. the young people had main
tained a friendly correspondence and
met occasionally. and now things had
reached sort of climax. George Lee
had boldly called at the house. and the
farmers wife had noted what she
called "SignS" That talk in the barn
yard had been to prepare the husband
and father for what might happen. for
she believed that something would
happen. George Lee didn't seem to be
a bit afraid of anybody or anything. as
she expressed it to herself. and she
noticed that Jennie was very fdgety
Yes something happened 1t came
two days later Mr.. Lee called again,
and just in time to catch the father
before going to the field for his after
Moons work. He stood right up like
man before father and mother and said
that he loved Jennie. hoped she loved
him, and wanted her for wife. His
coolness and dignity took the old man
back for minute. but presently he
asked:
'Are you going to run the farm for
your father?"
NO. MI White. / have something
better
II heard it was goin around and
pickin' up stones in the fields"
II shall pick up stones and shall
throw stones away. That is part Of
the profession. BY and by 1 hope l
shall find what l am looking for"
Then you look for it and when you
find it you can come back. Better
stay away till you do. ! don't want
Jennie so upset that she can't help her
mother make soft soap and put up
Itlthicb pcdNHSS'
Six weeks assed away. and one noon
when Farmer White came up from
the field he found young Lee waiting
for him. At his feet was a heavy
block Of something done up in a>news-
paper.
"You told me when I found some
thing almost as good as gold or silver
to come again" said the young man.
But you hain't done it.
Il think so Here's a block Of build
ing marble that I've taken from the
ridge back there. There's thousands
and thousands Of tons of it, and it Ia
all on your farm. There's a railroad
only a mile away and big city twen-
ty miles off viii you take $4,000
for your farm?"
young man. don't try to he funny"
"Will you take 5,000-$20, 0,000?"
1t took Farmer White a quarter of
an hour to understand the situation.