Willmar tribune., 1915-11-10


"Naw; amt goin' a step. Amt got
time. Jim Sullivan told me he was
goin' to get jug of the real old red
eye on tn noon train, an me an him
is goin' to drown our sorrer."
Leave that stuff alone, Tom," said
the kind hearted old merchant, who
had known him from his boyhood.
THAT is one reason why you are about
down and out now.''
Dad, let me go to the farmers meet
ing"
Both men looked around. Joe had
been seated on sack Of beans at the
end of the counter and in the shadow
of the desk. His father had forgotten
him. and Mr.. Somerville had not no.
ticed that he was about.
"Ain't got time Me an Jim Sulli-
vans goin' to leave as soon as the train
gifts in began his father.
II don't mind walking five miles
, home this evening I do want to 20 to
hear those government people, daddy"
II amt got no quarter to spend for
your dinner, Joe."
don't want no dinner"
THAT'S all right; Joe's going to take
dinner with me-" interrupted Mr.. Son.
! ervile.
"Oh, all right, then, but you needn't
think yer goin' to try any of that fool.
ishness and newfangled lum-de- dums
on my place. There was a streak Of
stubborn meanness in Tom Weston.
MY place, Tom," corrected the old
er man gently, "for which you have
failed to pay all the rent this year and
owe balance on last year."
"Well, s longs got it rented"- be-
gan Weston.
"1'll tell you what I'll do, Tom; I'll
just let you off one bale rent and take
four acres for Joe and me to expert
ment on if we want to-"
That's trade" grinned Weston.
But how about the time he takes fool
ing with you-all's projects? His time
belongs to me-" Mr. Somerville looked
at him in cold scorn for moment, then
at the eager, bright face of the boy.
dad, ain't you never goin' to give
ME chance? 1 go round dressed In
your CASTOR clo'es, l work like Mig
ger, an now when 1 want to learn
somethin' an try to make more at
farmin' than you have you don't seem
to want to let me-" His eyes filed
with tears.
weston, Of course he's your boy and
you have the legal right to his services,
but you are making a serious mistake
in the position you are taking"
I'm standin' on my rights!' logged
ly responded the other, trying to brave
| out the scorn he saw in the merchants
| face.
| Mr.. Somerville looked at Joe, who
was rather an understood, wiry chap,
with good head and square, fighting
chin.
| Are you in earnest, Joe? Do you
really want to study and learn or are
/ you just talking?"
"Just give me chance-that's all !
want-and I'll show you!" answered
Joe.
Every well, then, Weston. What do
you consider Joe's services worth to
you during the crop year?'
"A hundred dollars" answered Wes-
ton, at venture, trying to put the fig
ure high.
''1'll just take you on that Come on
back to the desk and sign up an agree
ment."
1t was done in few minutes, the
document providing that Joe's services
were sold to John Somerville for one
year from date for $500; that said
Weston bound himself to interfere in
no way with any experimental or
planting operations carried Oh by said
boy and ]. Somerville and to turn over
four acres fronting on the public road
to said boy and release all rights to any
crop the said Joe Weston might make.
"Now, Tom Weston, l think for the
last fifteen years I've heard you com
plain that you couldn't get out of debt
and the wonders you would perform
If you ever did. According to our
books, you owe us $1G0. part of it three
years old. My contract for Joe calls
for 500. I'm going to do better than
that and pay you $160. I've wiped of
the books. You don't owe me a cent
''Thank you, SIR"
"Now. listen! You and Joe are even.
I'll bet you a hat that can take q
fourteen-year-old boy and on four acres
Of land farmed like sense and industry
and the books say, we will make more
profit off these four acres than you will
make of the twenty you pretend to
cultivate.
Come on, Joe, the farming firm OF
Weston & Somerville is now going out
to learn something about book farm
ing!"
Mr.. Somerville would have won his
bet about the farmers at the agricul.
tural lecture. There were less than
twenty-five who had come to hear the
experts, but the county superintendent
Of education had managed to corra
about twelve boys of various ages In
/ the room.
} Joe and Mr.. Somerville were inter
ested from the start, for everything thu
lecturers said was perfectly plain ant
seemed the essence of practical com
mon sense. At noon the two gentle
men were glad to accept the Invitation
Of Brierfeld's largest merchant to e
to his home for dinner. Joe was intro
duced to both of the visitors. The,
were young men and graduates of az
} ricultural schools. He and the stat,
superintendent of agriculture got to b.
; great friends.
Il was chap just about like you,'
said the official, "and l didn't hav,