Charlevoix county herald., 1914-11-21
.JIr1 S1ITH
Observation-Disclosures Success.

work; he was willing to work harder
on his own farm if he could make
$4,000, so he closed the deal, and left
the real estate office with a deed to
the s. e. quarter of the S. w. quarter
of the S. e. quarter of section SO,
town 10, range 16 west, but lett n
mortgage.
He was sure by what the real estate
man said that he had made bargain.
! This land was only two miles from
the city of MuskegOn which was
thriving city-and this farm would
no doubt be wanted for building lots
within the next two or three years,
jim was not quite so sure as to just
what Molly, his wife, would say when
he told her his decision, but he knew
she was ever willing to help, and sell
dom complained, and so he hoped for
the best.
She was an attractive dame of
forty years, and had enjoyed the good
things Jim had brought her, and she
had not done very much hard work,
for they had always lived in hotels,
or steam-heated flats, and taken their
meals at restaurant.
| Their only daughter, of eighteen,
dressed in the height of fashion, had
been entertaining young gentleman
with fudge and punch, and she came
forward with open arms to meet her
father at the door.
"My dears," he shouted, 81 have
some news for you. We are going to
get out of this smoky, noisy city, and
| be free, free as the birds in the trees
and the clouds that lazily drift over
our alfalfa fields"
what on earth are you talking
about ?" both women cried in one
breath.
Talking about Nature" replied
jim, that's the place for me. I've
worked all of my life. | am getting
| know it because I've told many a
at the yards. Forty is the limit and
Pm forty-three today"
"Are you crazy, jim Smith ?" said
! his wife, in a tone that made him
come back to earth, and explain that
he had bought farm and they were
going to move at once.
"What kind of a house is there on
it," asked Mrs. Smith.
|
thoughtfully. "Why l don't know as
he said there was house or not, but
| presume there is enc. OF course
farm without a house? Yes, yes,
there is a house-or ! think there is
nice little white cottage nesting
among the clover blossoms with vines
and roses climbing over the porch and
~ h. nj
oriental rugs, and, and
"Have you seen ii ?" asked his wife,
whose face was growing grave as she
realized the situation better.
"No, no, | have not seen it, but
have the deed in my pocket. Look at
thatw
! He held out the deed to his wife,
who took it and read the description:
"The S. e. quarter of the S. w. quarter
of the s. e. quarter of section 33, town
! 10, range 16 west What does all
that mean?" asked Mrs. Smith.
"Why that's the description of the
farm. Doesn't it seem good to really
! own ten acres of land? Just think
how rich we would be if that was on
State street."
"But it is not on State street, and
you don't know where it is or even
if there is a house on it," said Mrs.
Smith. "How do you expect to live
on q farm without a house ?"
81 have it," said Jim. well buy
a tent and use it until | can build
a nice little house if there is not one,
so there, don't worry about the house
any more. Well move as soon as our
lease is out"
No 20
Joined in by asking if she could have
a dog, and if there were any nice
young men in the neighborhood. He
was sure she could have any kind of
doc she wanted, and that the woods
were full of nice Young men, which
did not seem to please the young lady,
but it made her think of the parks
with walks and drives and also Of
snakes. She had heard that snakes
lived in the woods but her optimistic
parent assured her that all the snakes
in Michigan had been driven out by
Saint Patrick years ago.
Jim bought an agricultural paper
called "The Overwhelmingly
Guide" and read it from cover to
! cover.
He bought a tent, for upon inquir-
J ing at the real estate office he found
that there was no house on the farm
} as it was virgin land, and had never
, been titled. He might have to cut
some trees, but he could sell the logs
. and burn the branches, so that was
no disadvantage, but he had better
take along an axe.
He laid in a good supply of canned
goods, bought an old horse from Pat
, the barn boss, who assured him there
was not another beast in the barn
that was as good, at twice the money
but he would let him have bargain
, because he had been an alderman.
: He next called upon one of his ward
voters to see about getting a wagon
: and after explaining his mission, the
gentleman said that seeing he had
. been his ward alderman. so many
, years it was incumbent upon him to
give him bargain in the wagon line
and start him right with his farming
so he sold him high spring wagon
with small wheels in front, which