The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-04-30
CHAPTER xlI-contInued.

Till the sun was high John Valiant
lay on his back in the fragrant grass,
tmeditatively watching a bucaneering
Chicken-hawk draw widening circles
against the blue and listening to the
vibrant tattoo of "pecker-wood" on
a faraway tree, and the timorous wet
whistle of a bob-white. The whole
place was very quiet now. For just
zone thrilling moment it had burgeoned
into sound and movement: when the
lsweaty horses had stood snorting and
,scampering 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?
y"She saw me drop that wretched brute
Through the window" he chuckled. Il
could take oath to that. But she didn't
give me away, true little sport that
ishe was. And she won't. / can't
Etilink of any reason, but know. Was
lshe angry? / wonder!"
| At length he rose and went back
TO the house. With bunch of keys
he had found 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 weli-I;Ghted and con-
tanned a dozen roomy box-stalls,
spacious loft and cargiage-house.
The straw bedding had been unre-
n01~ 1d
rotted hay lay in the hangers, and the
warped harness, hanging on it's pegs,
was smelly mass of mildew and
decay. He found stick, moved away
the festooning cobwebs, and moved
the debris p2ece-meal.
""There's a place for the motor--if
Uncle Jefferson ever gets it here"
1t was noon when he returned, after
"a wash-up in the lake, to the meal
with which Aunt Daphne, in costume
dimly suggestive of a bran-meal poul-
tice with bingham apron on, RECALLED
him. Fried chicken, corn-bread so
soft and fluffy that it had to be lifted
from the pan with a spoon, Drowned
potatoes, and to his surprise, fresh
milk. "Ah done druv ouah OF COW
ovah, subj" explained Aunt Daphne.
lease she gotter be MIXED, er she
Run dry ez de Red Sea TO- de chillon
iob Izril."
"Aunt Daphne" inquired Valiant
with his mouth full, what do you call
this green thing?"
dat? OATS jes' turnip-tops, sub,
wild er hunk er bacon in de pot. Laws
ERNIE, ct cer'n'y do me good ter see
yO' git arter it dat way, sub. Reck'n
10 got er appetite! Hyuh, Hyuh!"
81 have. / never guessed it before,
and It's magnificent discovery. How
ever. it suggests unwelcome refiec-
lions. Aunt Daphne, how long do you
estimate a man can dine like this on
well, say on hundred dollars?"
GER hun'ed dollahs, sub? OATS er
right smart heap o. money, deed ct is!
Well sub, pens on whit yo' raises.
Eff yo' raises yo' own gyarden-sass en-
CHICKENS en- aigs, All reck'n yo' kin
live longah dan dat ar Methoosalum,
en- still hat mos of it in de OF stock
In"
"Ah! can grow all those things
myself, you Think"
"Yo' cert'n'y kim" said Aunt Daphne.
s'Ev'ybody do. De chickns done peck
TO- deyselves en- de yuddah things-yo'
ony gotter courage EN- en- dey jes'
grows"
Valiant ate his dessert with a
thoughtful smile 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, farmer! The miracle of it is
that it sounds good to me. | want to
raise my own grub and till my own
soil. 1 want to be my own man! And
I'm beginning to see my way. Crops