Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-08-27
At The WHITE FARM
Story of the Troubles of Two
Girl Farmers, Their Pigs
and Lovers.
sy MARION GORDON.

"Oh, Gertrude / am sick of hogs
walled Alicia as she followed her cou-
sin toward the big cement pen where
the pedigreed Chesters were roofing
around in uncomfortable cleanliness.
You can't raise prize farm stock
without coming in contact with many
unpleasant things" retorted Gertrude
Lee, pulling her hat down over her
tightly braided and coiled hair.
81 wish we hadn't added hogs to the
farm, anyway" went on Alicia discon-
tentedly; "the cows are perfect pets
and poultry raising is too fascinating
but hogs, ughi"
Gertrude turned a dark, weather
beaten face toward her pretty partner
you can fuss all you want to, Alicia,
but you will find that the Chesters will
carry off the first prize at the county
fair-and if everything does as well,
why we may take that trip to Calitor-
MIA next winter
IF Uncle Gregory hadn't been so
suspicious he would have left US the
money outright instead of stlpulating
that we must show ourselves capable
of self support for two years
1T was a great idea-our starting
this stock farm! I just wish uncle
were alive now TO see how well we
have managed triumphed Gertrude.
"And that sneering Jack FenWay,
tool"
Gertrude you ought to give Sam
Halliday some credit; If he hadn't
been such a splendid neighbor we
couldn't have accomplished thing!
Mrs. Wells said the other day that
this was practically Sam Halliday
success-not ours!" Alicia was talk
ing very fast.
Miss Lee flushed Indignantly but
said nothing She pumped a pail OF
water and carried it to the pig pen,
swaying gracefully at hip and shoulder
as she walked Her short skirts be-
trayed high brown boots laced snug
ly over her slender ankles and she
skipped with agility through the gate
and out of the way of the numbering
porl1ers. From her ample pocket she
produced a small box of soap powder.
She sprinkled the powder on the
largest hog, dipped stiff broom IN
the water pail and proceeded TO
scrub the bristles of the prize hog UNI
til he was a fluff of snowy suds from
snout to twisted tall.
He looks like a meringue," g1ggled
Alicia balancing herself on the VIDE
| coping of the cement wall.
! that moment singing dab or
soap entered the eye of the prize hog.
With one anguished squeal he broke
| loose and banged against the I'M
! latched gate of the pen. The gate
| swung outward and away went the
frightened animal across the barnyard,
| down the hollyhock- bordered path, out
| of the gate and straight toward the
road that ran past the White farm.
Gertrude flung aside her broom and
followed him Alicia slipped from the
wall and ran after Gertrude. Just as
the two girls reached the gate long
/ gray motor car swept swiftly down
the hill: there was just time to note
that the chauffer's eyes were dreamlly
/ fixed on the peak of Old Man noun
tain when the tragedy happened.
There was startled boot from the
siren of the car that mingled with
the diving squeal of the prize porker
The car jerked heavily and came &c
G standstill just as Gertrude, WHITE
| Gpped and with two burning spots II
her cheeks. flew across the interyen
ing space to the side of the car.
"And then he woke up!" she cried
with bitter sarcasm as she faced the
bewildered young man at the steering
wheel.
"By jove, what have l done now,
he groaned as ne got out and peerec
under the car. "Oh, hogi" he crleC
with relief.
only hog" sneered Gertrude, un
pleasantly only the sole means O
livelihood of two women who are try
ing to be self-supporting.
Pm sorry-E don't know what Il
say,'' stammered Jack Fenway con
tritely. II was looking at the noun
tain peak yonder and thought had
clear road ahead-but that's no ex
cuse"
NO. it isn't You see this is an un
usual hog-we were raising 1t for tn'
county fair; we have toiled all sum
mer over these hogs-and now!" Ger
trude's voice quavered alarmingly.
Jacks fumbling hand found hi
cheuue book Il must insist upon pay
ing for the hog" he said practically
IF you will tell me its value and adj
to it the amount of the prize you e1
pected to take, shall be happy to re
fund you the money
"Of course we might not have take
a prize-but--it was for the pair
Chesters that we were striving W
would rather have the hog and get IN
prize-the honor belongs to the Whit
farm" explained Gertrude coldiy
Jack thought rapidly He was VII
ing to do anything to placate tni
angry young woman. His face brigh