The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-05-28
CHAPTER xIl-cnntInuad.


Till the sun was high John Valiant
lay on his back in the fragrant grass.
medttattveiy watching a bucaneering
chicken-hawk draw widening circles
against tho blue and listening to the
vibrant tattoo of "pecker-wood" on
o far-away tree, and the timorous wet
whistle OF q bob-white. The whole
place was very quiet now. For just
one thrilling moment 1t had burgeoned
Into sound and movement: when the
sweaty horses had stood snorting and
stamping in the yard with the hounds
scalnpering between their legs and the
riding-coats winking like rubies In the
early sunshine!
Had she recognized him as the
smudged tinkerer Of the stalled car?
She saw me drop that wretched brute
through the window" he chuckled. Il
could take oath to that But she didn't
e1ve me away, true little sport that
she was. And she won't. can't
think OF any reason. but ! know. Was
che angry? ] wonder!"
At length he rose and went back
to the house With a bunch of keys
he had founG he went to the stables,
after some difficulty gained access,
and propped the crazy doors and win
dows open to the sun. The building
was airy and well-nghted and con-
tained dos~an roomy box-stalls, a
spacious loft and a carriage-house.
The straw bidding had been unre-
moved, mice-gnawed sacking and
rotted hay lay in the hangers, and the
warped harness, hanging on its pegs,
was a smelly mass of mildew and
decay. He found a stick, moved away
the festooning cobwebs, and moved
the debris piece-meal.
"There!" he said with satisfaction
There's place for the motor-if
Uncle Jefferson ever gets 1t here"
It was noon when he returned, after
wash-up in the lake. to the meal
with which Aunt Daphne, in costume
dimly suggestive Of a bran-meal poul-
tIce With gingham apron on, regaled
him Fried chicken, corn-bread so
soft and fluffy that it had to be lifted
from the Ian with a spoon, Drowned
potatoes, and to his surprise, fresh
milk. "Ah done druv ouah or COW
0vah, suh," explained Aunt Daphne.
Case she gotter be milked. er she
run dry ez de Red Sea TO de chillon
Ob Izril"
Aunt Daphrs," inquired Valiant
with his mouth full, what do you call
this green thin9?"
Dat? OATS jes' turnip.tops, sub.
Wild er hunk er bacon In de pot. Laws
N1-me, ct cer'n'y do me good ter see
20 git arter it dat way, sub. Reck'n
70 got er appetite! Hyuh. Hyuh!"
II have. l never guessed it before,
sDd it's magnificent discovery. How
ever, 1t suggests unwelcome rehec-
lions. Aunt Daphne, how long do you
estimate man can dine like this on
well, say on hundred dollars?"
"Er hun'ed dollahs, sub? OATS er
right smart heap O. money, deed ct is!
Well sub, pens on whut yo' raises.
Ri yo raises yo' own gyarden-sass en-
ohick'ns en- aigs, All reck'n yo' kin
EHe longah dan dat ar Methoosalum.
en- still hat moF' of it In de OIL stock
ia"
"Ah! can grow all those things
myself, you think?"
"Yo' cert'n'y kim" said Aunt Daphne.
"Ev'ybody do. De chick'ns done peck
TO- deyselves en- de yuddah things-yo'
o'ny gotter courage 'em en- dey jes'
grows"
Valiant ate his dessert with q
thoughtful smiIa wrinkling his brow.
As he pushed back his chair he smote
his hands together and laughed aloud.
Back to the soil!" he said. John
Valiant farmers The miracle Of 1t IL
that 1t sounds good to me. / want to
raise my own grub and till my own
soil. L want to be my own man! And
I'm beginning 10 see my way. Crops