Evening star., 1914-05-03

pared 10 do the work. He insisted that
ne had refused other engagements for
the day in order to plow for me, that
and IL I didn't want ii done I would
have TO pay him for the days work.
The proposition surely put me in a mole
I didn't know what the custom provided
to be imposed upon. Being a newcomer,
| and a CITY man at that, l felt that il
| would be mistake to get ''in bad
with my neighbors for if the impression
got out that ! was hard to deal with
and tried to evade payment OF just debts.
| 7 would have hard time getting any
one to work for me. And should I get
tho reputation Of looking for chance to
do" others every one with whom !
had business transactions would be iook-
ing for an opportunity TO do me.
Yet. didn't want my blowing done
when the soil was 50 wet that YOU could
have squeezed water out or II so J
proposed to the ploWHan mat we com
promise He admitted that he could put
in half day AT home without loss ]
paid him s. one-half the price Tor a
day OF man and team. ana ne agreed
to do my plovinG when the SOL was
ready. without any further cnarse ior
loss of time on account OF RAIN
Contingent Agreement the Rule.
d
on the farm next to my place. decided
that mad made fair bargain. He
said should have engaged my piowins to
be done contingent upon the SOIL oeihs
in condition to plow.
NV man came back Wednesday and did
thoroughly satisfactory job of plowing.
He turned over three acres in less tnan a
day, and Thursday came back and nnlsh-
ed dragging and narrowing IT. Aftef
my experience trying TO piow and nar- sr
thoroughly satisfied that ] had received
the worth OF my money.
took the day off from the office
yesterday and began planting IN IN
and We got lot done. Bill was again
requisitioned for service and hltched
up to the wheel hoe With Jim 'eadlns
him along a mark previously made oy
stretching line. We made reasonaD DlH
straight burrows for early corn and
potatoes The planting Of the corn and
the cutting and dropping OF the
potatoes had to he done by hand, and
the latter proved an especially tedious
job We planted bushel of early rose
potatoes. making four rows. each about
100 feet long. I figure this will give
us an abundant supply from the time
they are big enough to use until the
late potatoes are ready About the
middle of June | am going to plant an
acre to late potatoes. III fert1lize them
literally. and shall expect to have at
least $50 bushels for sale. after saving
enough to run US through the winter,
] had the ground for my late pota toes
as we'll as for my corn plowed along
with the garden. This will start the
weed seeds. and when planting time
with a cutaway pillow. which Will de
stroy the weeds and put the ground in
good condition. Capt Russell, at the
office advised that ! let the ground
etc
Brown proposed the program which !
followed. Though l have been reading
books diligently. I realize that I must
depend largely upon the advice of prac-
teal farmers and as Mr. Brown is my
neighbor and knows local conditions
thoroughly. ] gave his advice the
preference.
Two Exceptional Pigs.
Pigs may be pigs. as Ellis Parker
Butler argues. but I'm certain that my
pigs are of higher order of intel
ligence than the run of swine. I went
over to Mr.. Browns Tuesday evening
and brought home the two I had en-
gagged from him. They are about eight
weeks old. and look as il they would
make a great deal more desira BILE pets
than most dogs | have known. That
they are going to be pets there isn't
the shadow of doubt. / am har-
givings as TO whether ! shall ever win
family consent to convert them into
ham and bacon and sausage. Sunday |
went out to Kill hen for dinner and
Jane took Margery around TO the front
porch and sat there looking like a
funeral until the deed was done and
the fowl had been dressed. didn' t
know whether they would consent tc
eat any Of the chicken stew. but their
sensiDilities didn't extend that far.
y fter the hen had been cut up and been
in the pot it seemed to lose its identity
as an old friend.
The pigs are a constant delight. not
only to Jane and the children. but to
me. They have learned that when any
member of the family comes near their
pen it means something TO eat. and
they never fail to be ready with saueals
of welcome. ] don't know that Bill
is jealous of the pigs. but he might
well be. He had been getting all the
tithits. such as sugar Jumps and ap-
Piles tha; cost cents each. but now
the stream OF goodies has been di-
verted 10 the pigpen Last night for
dinner We had chocolate layer cake and
Marger, vas served with slice. an
Indulgence which is aot usual -
soon as he: piece was passed she said
please excuse rIe. mama. and hurried
ou; OF the dining room. Ny suspicious
were aroused and i told Ned to fol-
low her She headed straight for the