Charlevoix county herald., 1914-12-12
CHAPTER w.
The Road to Success.

As they walked along the cattle
path, through the brush, the briars
tore their thin stockings and
scratched their shoes and more than
one rent was found in their thin skirts
when they returned home.
At last they came to a road which
led to the south end of Vacation
Farm, and as they passed in the gate
they beheld vast acres of alfalfa, rye,
corn, and clover shining out in their
gold and green like fairy-land, or an
oasis in the midst of the desert.
Their spirits revived as they passed
the different fields, for they realized
that if this land could produce such
crops theirs would if they only knew
how
Jim tried to cheer his wife telling
her what their farm would look like
some day, but she was thinking of
how she was ever going to learn to do
the cooking on the farm, and the
smell of the burnt eggs still haunted
her.
They passed little cots not much
larger than their own, and saw busy
women at their work, and happy chill
dren at play in the sand. Men were
working in the field, and all seemed
happy.
Finally they inquired of one of the
children where they could find the
principal of the school.
81 don't know where the principal
is" said the child, but the Sand Farm
er can tell you"
"And where can we find the Sand
Farmer" they asked.
80, he is over there looking at some
of his new babies"
New babies ?" calculated Mrs.
Smith, "out in that field ?"
"Yes," replied the child, that's
what he calls them. They are new
kinds of grass and corn, and all kinds
of things that he makes by putting
the different blossoms together, and
then planting the seeds"
"O," said Mrs. Smith under her
breath, evidently relieved if not much
enlightened "Let us go over and see
what the child means"
AS they came where the Sand
Farmer was intently looking at a
number of little plants he did not
hear them coming, so intent was he
on his work, but Jim's BEG your par
don, sir, hope we are not intruding,
made him aware that he had visitors
"Good morning. said the Sand
Farmer. "Glad to see you. Strangers
here? Welcome TO Vacation Farm.
".We've bought some land on Sec
Ation SO, l believe it is, and have come
from the city to make a new home
The Sand Farmers face grew
grave. He had seen many such fam
lies come into these pine barrens'
without knowledge, and many of them
without ever having seen the land
they purchased. He had seen them
struggle for few months, then be-
come discouraged, and return to the
city cursing the day they ever set
foot on Michigan sand; but he had
also seen the Vacation Farm students
Just as ignorant of country ways, de.
velop into practical and skillful farm
ers, who were now living in content
ment and plenty, and thanking Goo
that they were no longer living in the
great city.
There was no use to tell these new
corners that they would in all proba'
bility fail. The question was: How
could he help them, and keep then
tom failure?
AS these thoughts were goinl
THROUGH the Sand Farmers mind his
lips were saying: Come right up tC
the house, and meet mother She
will be glad to see you, and perhaps
she can help you get settled a little
Mother is d host all alone, and will
be glad to know that she has some
new neighbors."
As they walked toward the hous,
the Sand Farmer drew from then
their story, and guessed that the frs
thing to be done was to get Mother
to work on the women folk, and show
them that silk stockings and slipper,