Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1913-04-09

Winnie. too. The company kin have
my farm. and l hope to God it'll be
the curse to them it's been to met
There the farm is. And look further
down shifting the switch to another
there's another dropping
10 pieces Lord. when ! think of the
stories they told me about the crops
when fust came and put In four hun
bred dollars that I'd worked hard for
In a sawmill. and think how ge used
TO set round the fire evenings. my
wife and /, talking about how the
town was agrowing and what II would
be when the trees was growed and our
children was going TO school, and how
we'd have a cabinet organ and we'd
have top buggy. and we'd send for
her mother, who didn't Jest Ike II
with Bits wife-we was Jest like chill
dren, making believei But that ain't
what ! was driyin.; at Here II is.
We calculated that we'd be let alone,
because the poor. miserable remnants
Of stock and machines and farms we
got simply wasn't worth outside folks
taking, and inside folks wouldn't risk
their lives by dispossesslng us. That's
how we sized It up. amt it?"
Il don't see yet what you're after,
Wesley"
You will We reasoned that way.
But along comes this company. this
trust. that's clean against the laws
and don't give curse for that. and
II buys up the whole OUTFIT tell you,
Mr. Robbins, there amt Eve men in
this community that that trust Amt
got the legal right 10 turn out on the
prairies tomorrow They've all been
foreclosed, and the year OF grace is
up Most Of US here amt got no show
at all-legally. And so they send a
man down here to see about Citing
out writs and finishing us up"
But who'll they get to buy, Wesley
Orr"
They're not needing much buying
They're on 10 g new scheme-golng to
turn all these farms into big pastures
and fatteu cattle with alfalfa, raise it
and ship It: then the lower part OF
the county down below town, they in
tend to run a ditch through from the
river and irrlgate t. They will fetch
in colony who'll pay them about ten
times what they paid. expect, and"
But we won't let them"
Depends on how many guns the
colonys got and how much fight
there's in it. They'll try II, anyhow.
unless"
"Unlcss--" repeated Robbins I'M
easily.
Unless they're scared or, unless
they think It's death for man to
tackle us."
Robbins rubbed bis hands harder:
he bit his lip. A little space of 81
lence fell between them. Or to the
south. where the little town was set
like an island in the darkenlng prairie,
the lights began to twinkle; they were
yellow aud scattered. Even at that
distance one could tell that they
burned few to the house.
kinder wish" said Robbins, chat
he came from another town"
What's the difference about the
town"
"Oh. none. guess But that town,
It's In Iowa, and IL sent the best things
we've ever had. One woman put in
lot of jams and jellies and tea
such teal My wife was sick then. and
! didn't know but I'd lose her. gave
her some of that tea and some jam.
and she began to pick up from that
day. 1t was n ounce Jam, and made
her think OF home. she said. Her
father was a Connecticut man, and
they had an orchard with ounce trees
in It'll remember" He did not fin.
ish the sentence. but be sighed as he
absently ran his eye over the gaps In
the harnes9mended with rope
Il bet he didn't have nothing to do
with that box" said Orr; most like.
the people sent as that we're poor
folks themselves. and had to pinch to
make up for the things they sent us.
faint the rich people are sorriest for
poor folks. This young Wallace-hls
fathers the owner of big paper, and
rich besides. and hs's got this boy in
training for editor; and when that
first duck couldn't do rothing out here.
the old man said he'd buy in, and the
young one thought II mighty smart
thing TO DO to come over here and
turn lot OF half-starved women and
children out In winter What's he
care? What do any Of these rich
folks care2"
Il don't think you're fair. Wesley"
said Robbins IAN the rich folks
aren't mean know more about them
than you" He spoke with a dawning
Of pride in bis tone. which deepened
a little
Yes. know you used TO belong TO
them" said Orr. and guess you
were decent to the poor Rut you'll
admit you didn't have no notion how
It cuts to work every muscle in you
and 10 lay awake thinking yourself
half crazy to puzzle cut better ways
10 make money and yet TO feel every
year you're aslnking deeper in the
slough I've worked fye years here.
and 'cepting the first year. every
single year has piled interest on the
mortgage Every year we've had less
clothes 10 wear and poorer stun 10
eat and 81 been mend instead Of buy
and we've had more debts and more
worries every year tell you. Mr..
Robbins | thought 1t would kill me,
once, 10 come on the county. Ia a.
said I'd starye flrst but you cant see
youf wife and children starve. wen,