Abilene weekly reflector., 1915-04-29
RATpICK

Il -
"punlkin yams" He stored twenty-five
bushels for home use and sold the
other 125 bushels at 81 per bushei.
Sam Powell never forgot what the
government agent told him about seed.
When his contest acre was at 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 littleIlor no time for
pleasure or recreati0h.St 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 In the habit Of using
his mind. He never initiated other peo-
pie In doing q thing without stopping
to think why IL was done or IL there
was better way. He soon found out
that It pays to keep oneself fresh and
vigorous. By taking the proper rests
and breathing spells and working at
certain hours he found that he could
do as much or more work in eight
hours as In twelve. After that he did
not commence work before daylight or
quit after dark. as he had been doing.
He saw also that It was a good idea
to take half day or a day OF 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 nature lover-that |
Is, he never tired of studying trees
and flowers and birds and insects and |
animals. 1t was mighty hard matter |
for him to go after the calves and get |
back in time for breakfast It was not |
more than quarter of mile to where |
the calves were usually found-in
little meadow beyond the creek-but |
the earlier Sam started in the morning
the later he would usually be In re-
turning.
He would get up sometimes while it
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 |
breaths and walk about the yard for
a few minutes; then he would be Off |
suddenly, whistling 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 the world just waking up. A |
slight noise from some big treetops told |
him that crows were leaving their
roost. A louder Tapping meant bH-
yards. A splash In the creek announc-
ed that bullfrog was taking his morn |
ing bath. Now and then possum |
would waddle by or belated coon
returning from his fishing up the creek |
would stop to eye Sam inquisitively.
Crossing the creek and getting pret- |
ty close to the calves, he would stop |
suddenly again to watch three or four
rabbits at their morning romp in the
dewy grass. Farther on be might 1nd
a strange flower or shrub and study 1t |
ever so long. trying to determine the
name Of 1t. 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 dnd something else to interest
him.
When he came In. fresh. bright eyed |
and hungry from his walk and found |
breakfast waiting. his mother would |
ask:
"Why. what. makes you 80 late get |
ting back, SamT
"Oh, I've been watching OF Bref
Rabbit and Br'er Possum." he would
reply. He had read the stories Of Un- |
Gle Remus and always called animals |
by the names the old darky gave them. |
One Saturday morning Bill Googe
climbed over the fence and came to
where Sam was at work.
''Hello, Samr' he greeted. "Say,
let's 60 fishin' this evenin'."
"Are you up with your workT ask
ed Sam.
"You bet. I've quit loafn' round
when they's work needin' dOin'. Every
things right up to now"
"AlI right, them" said Sam: "rll be
glad to 60. was Just thinking
about Il"
- l. gfn~.rn