Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-01-07
Amelia CIark'S
Secret
How to Make Farm Life
Enjoyable

ten years ldlcls ne hdu iiOiu tuc tliiie
Of his fathers death been learning
how TO run the farm. though his moth
err did most OF the planning till Josh
came of age. There is no better way
of learning how to do things than do
ing them. and by the time Josh came
OF age he was very good farmer.
His product was milk. and he had
twenty good Holstein cows. He had
one assistant whom he employed reg
ularly, and at haying time or when he
put the ensilage in the silo he would
temporarily hire more-that Is, when
be could get any one, which was not
very often.
Joshs mother kept the house and
the grounds about it looking tidy so
long as she lived After her death
there very soon came a change in the
appearance of both house and grounds.
The floors were unswept. Josh's bed
was seldom made and papers were
scattered about The chickens overran
the flowers planted in beds on either
side OF the front porch, and weeds fill
ed the walks. Josh had always left
these things TO his mother. devoting
his whole time to the cattle. raising
food for them and delivering the milk.
This took up all his time and attention.
and when his mother left him the 9th
er matters were bound to be neglect
ed, all except the cooking. which was
absolutely essential. This Josh did as
best he could.
Several dairy farmers living near
Hatfield's farm. including Hatfield
himself. had an agreement by which
one Of the number delivered the milk
of all ut the railway station several
miles distant This they did success
sively, each man doing the work for
week. One morning Farmer Clark.
whose turn it was to deliver the milk
for that week. said to his daughter
Amelia:
"Meely. go over to Hatfield's and say
that Pete has gone lame and Bess Is
sick. II he'll take my
turn at delivering the milk this week
Il III kdke Ills tuIu utAI Week.
Amelia started out on the errand.
She was a strong girl about nineteen
years old. as straight as an arrow and
tolerably good looking. When she ar
rived Josh was getting his breakfast.
having attended to his morning chores
at the barn. Her summons at the
front door not receiving any attention.
she went around to the side porch. and.
making her way through milk cans
that blocked the way. found the kitch-
en- door open and Josh trying to blow
out a fire OF burning fat. Without
word. she went in. took the skillet out
of his hand and landed it upside down
in the snow outside.
Thank ye." said Josh, 81 wonder
why didn't think of that"
Reckon men don't know much about
kitchen work. Your potatoes will burn
in a minute.
Taking up knife. she ran 1t through
the potatoes. which sizzled merrily
and began to turn beautiful brown.
Then she saved some toast from black
ening rs the potatoes had threatened to
do, and turned her attention to the cof-
fee which was boiling over.
You sit down. Mr.. Hatfield" she
said. land I'll put the breakfast on the
table for you. You might as well have
a little comfort in my being here. Fa-
Their sent me TO say that there's some
thing the matter with the horses and
to ask you If you won't take his turn
the milk this week. he to
take your turn next week"
"Sure. | wouldn't mind that a bit"
Amelia set the breakfast on the ia
BILE and Josh sat down for the meal.
She took chair opposite him and be-
gan to pour his coffee.
''Do you take sugar and milk. Mr..
HatfieldT
Both
1.-Two lumps?'
That's about right"
The sun shone in at the dining room
window. and there was a marked cheer
fulness there. But it could not have
been for the sun alone, for 1t lighted
the breakfast table most mornings. Ii
seemed that an especial comfort had
come In with Amelia. Somehow the
coffeepot looked brighter the toast was
certainly better-not dried ms usual, but
soft-and Jack wondered how Amelia
had contrived TO keep it hot. Then.
too. the coffee tasted great deal bet
ter than usual. In short although he
couldn't remember that Amelia had
done anything except saving the break
fast from burning 1t tasted very much
better than ever before.
1T must be kind Of hard for you TO
10 your own cooking" she remarked
II don't like q NJ all. Nothing | do
seems to come out right. I'm always
breaking the dishes and don't know
how TO mend them. III tooth breaks
IN my plow ! know how 10 put i'm an
other. but II my coffeepot leaks I'm
lost"
why don't you hire somebody 10
come In and do your homework for
you?"
II Cont know any one that would
like The job. All the women about