West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-08-12

september came and Florence enter.
ed the high school, but Sam, badly as
no wanted to begin. found IL impossi-
Die TO do so until after Christmas
However, he began studying at night,
and for all the hard work he did he
managed TO keep pretty close up with
his classes.
Late In the fall he dug the acre OF
sweet potatoes, after stripping Off the
vines and feeding them to his hogs.
and found that he had $50 bushels OF
punkin yams-" He stored twenty-five
bushels for home use and sold the
other 125 bushels at 81 per bushel.
sam Powell never forgot what the
government agent told him about seed.
When his contest acre was ut maturity
he went down the rows and tied
strings TO the stalks that bore the most
and the finest ears.
In the same way, also, the young
farmer selected his cotton seed. Here
and there in the rows he found stalks
that were unusually large and perfect
In shape. These were generally In
some rich place where they had been
particularly favored. II they were
heavily loaded with bolls and the bolls
were large and low down on the stalks,
indicating that they would open early.
Sam tied white strings on them In
conspicuous places.
1t may seem that with all this work
Sam Powell had little or no time for
pleasure or recreation. Such was not
the case, however, though he some
times had to work longer hours than
he liked because he was not able to get
help.
But Sam had got I'm the habit Of using
his mind. He never Initiated other peo-
pie In doing n thing without stopping
TO think why 1t was done or II there
was better way. He soon found out
That 1t pays to keep oneself fresh and
vigorous. BY taking the proper rests
and breathing spells and working nj
certain hours be found that he could
do as much or more work I'm eight
hours as In twelve. After that he dld
not commence work before daylight or
quit after dark. as he had been doing
He saw also that It was a good idea
10 take a half day or q day off now
and then
One of the things that Sam enjoyed
a great deal was TO ramble through the
woods and fields and study nature. He
was what is called n nature lover-thot
Is, he never tired OF studying trees
and flowers and birds and insects ana
animals. 1t was a mighty hard matter
Tor him TO go after the calves and get
oack In time for breakfast 1t was not
more than quarter OF mile to where
the calves were usually found-in n
little meadow beyond the creel-but
the earlier Sam started I'm the mornIrc,
me later he would usually be in re-
turning
lie would get up sometimes while II
was still dark and only the first red
streaks Of dawn showing In the east.
he would get out in the fresh air and
throw out his arms and take deep
Dreams and walk about the yard for
a Few minutes; then he would be Off
suddenly. whistling a lively tune and
scattering the dew from the grass and
plants with his feet.
he liked TO sit down on the creek
bank In the dim light of morning and
watch tho world just waking up. A
slight noise from some big treetops told
him that crows were leaving their
roost- A louder tapping meant buz-
yards. A splash In the creek announc-
co that bullfrog was taking his MORN
ing bath Now and then a possum
would waddle by or q belated coon
returning from his fishing up the creek
would stop to eye Sam inquisldvely.
Crossing the creek and getting pref
" close to the calves, he would stop
suddenly again to watch three or four
rabbits at their morning romp in the
uewy grass Farther on he might find
strange flower or shrub and study It
ever 80 long, trying TO determine the
name Of It Sam and Florence were
both nature enthusiasts, and there
were few flowers or trees the names
OF which they didn't know.
Finally, the young farmer would find
The calves and start them home, and
he might get there by sunrise If he
didn't find something else 20 interest
him.
When he came In. fresh, bright eyed
md hungry from his walk and found
breakfast waiting. bis mother would
ask:
why. what makes you so late get
ting back, SamT
"Oh, I've been watching Of Br'er
Rabbit and Br'er Possum." be would
reply. He had read the stories OF IN
Gle Remus and always called animals