Evening star., 1914-08-01

even the pig follow her about as faith
full vas does her collie puppy, Vylng
with each other for her attention.
Isn't that a tremendously big item to
lifes ledger?
What It Means to Boys.
Then there are the boys. In town Jim
and Ned had no conception of industry.
They had no chance to learn it. They
did their, work in school. but there was
nothing else for them to do. 1 thought
little of it then. but l realize now it Is
not good that boys should grow up
without certain duties to perform. 1t
makes them aimless and restless and al
fords no opportunity for them to learn
responsibility.
| don't think boys should lack a chance
to play They should play lot, but
thew play with more enjoyment if they
have work to do. Jim and Ned haven
become any paragons of industry. Ihey
have to be proddod good deal and
scolded some, but it isn't really he-
cause they find work hateful A boy
mind is filled with SO many things he
has a hard time keeping 1t on what
his hands are supposed to be DONG. But
a good deal of their work is half play
and a good deal of their play nall WORK.
They look after their pigeons and rao-
bits as faithfully as could be wished, ana
as long as their popcorn required WORK
ing there wasn't much trouble getting
them to do 1t, though Ned was Just q
LITTLE inclined to soldier on Jim. They
have earned considerable nN7ey one way
and another this summer. and, more 70
the point, show disposition to save It.
In town when a nickel or dime came
their way it went at once Tor candy OF
the movies" There were few opportu-
mites then for earning and even the
scant fruits of toll always had been
eaten up before night.
7 think another large asset item can
be entered on account OF the poys.
isn't much more that can be said In
respect to her. But in one way a
change has come over her tnat rs
worthy of being noted. Always she
had been more silent than most women
are. She talked little and went about
her household duties uncomplainingly
but quietly. She sings now at her
work.
From a Mans Viewpoint.
Most people find it relatively easy to
talk of self, and I know I could write
volumes of what the country has come
to near to me. But I shall confine the
autobiography to few items most
pertinent to the subject. I don't have
the headaches nor the indigestion from
have the blues. My hands, to which
used to devote considerable care and
of which l wasn't exactly ashamed, are
tanned and rough and calloused, ana
bIackened and splintered. And still
l am not ashamed of my hands. have
been SO tired l could hardly drag one
foot after the other. but have learned
to enjoy being tired that way. After
u bath, even in q laundry tub, there
comes a sense of luxury of body that
may be had only at the cost Of aching
muscles. Athletes, no doubt, experience
it. but l had never been an athlete.
So much for the physical rewards.
for reckoning until the crops are har-
vested and the books balanced. But
the mental profits already are apprais-
able. l have achieved peace of mind,
for 1 no longer fear the future. l am
not yet ready to say that 1t would be
prudent to give up my salary and turn
wholly farmer, but l do know where
a living may be had outside the gov
ernment service. In the past there al
ways stalked the grim specter of want
should mischance separate me from
the public pay roll. All my working
years have been spent in the service
of Uncle Sam. and in serving him I
have acquired no talent that would
mean livelihood were forced to seek
employment in private enterprise.
knowledge of my incapacity made me
a coward at heart and ate up my self
respect. I have endured from my su-
periors things that made me lust for
murder, and knowledge that / dared
not resent them drove the iron into my
soul.
Country Means Emancipation.
To me. therefore, the country means
emancipation. / am only beginning to
learn the lore of the soil, bat 1 have
learned enough to know that given land
can wiring living from 1t. My family
need not want. With the 5000 which
Jane inherited years ago and which re-
mains untouched I could face the loss of
my position with comparative equanimity.
But l am determined that money shall
remain, as it has been, an emergency
fund of last resort. / believe l can work
out the problem of independence without
it, and daily l grow in eagerness to try.
So now you see what 1t means most to
me. Ambition has taken the place of
the long years of stagnation.
l have a definite object now to work
toward, and / have set myself to the task
with more enthusiasm than ever knew
before. That doesn't mean 1 have thrown
caution to the winds. l think l am
planning my life more cautiously than
ever in the past. In fact. outside of con-
triving to hold my job there hadn't been
much plan to my existence. We struggled
rempts at saving, but they never lasted
long because there was lacking a definite
purpose. l am going to continue to hold
my job for a time, or try to. and l can
do it now without any taint of the craven
But l am going to devote every available
hour and every dollar we can lay aside
to the building up of a business OF my
own right out here in the country-a busi-
ness of corn and cabbages and 'spuds, :"
of chickens and eggs and milk and but
ter.
My contract for Sunny Knoll pro-
vides that l may renew my lease for a
period of two years from next March.
At any time before expiration Of the two
year period / may exercise my option of
purchase at an agreed upon price. That
is what l am going TO do. And l am
going to do 1t out of the profits from the
place and the savings from my salary.
Big Job, But Possible.
I know it looks like big contract,
but 1t can be done. I'll not be able to
pay all cash. but can make an accept
able first payment. Then rent will stop and
what now goes monthly to the landlord
will help pay carrying charges. We have
figured it all out in family council, and
the program has unanimous approval
This is even more first home" to the
children than it is to Jane and me- The
boys are eaFer to help now, and thej.
help will grow more valuable each year
Ambition has come to them as well as
n me