Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-04-01
CHAPTER u.

Hello, BillF' said Sam. moi
- working these days"
mo; you bet amt" answered Bill.
81 git enough o. that durin' crop time
"Well, what do you find around
bere?" asked Sam. ~ never come to
town except on business"
"For one thing" Bill replied. I'm
here irwin TO make some kind Of ar
rangements for supplies this year.
Didn't make enough to quite settle up
with old Jim Anderson, and he's cut
me of. Lots O. times, though, US rel
lers come to town to git together ana
talk over our troubles. Misery loves
comp'ny, you know, Sam. And some
times we chip In and send or for
gallon of Old Crow. When a man gifts
a few swigs O. that under his belt
Sam, he jes' forgits all about bein' 80
doggone poor and ornery."
"Yes," said Sam, land he makes
fool OF himself and wastes his money.
and after it's over with he feels worse
and is poorer than he was before"
Bill Googe was peculiar kind or
fellow. He was almost always In
good humor, and you could hardly say
anything to make him mad. But he
didn't like to work. According TO BIZ,
II was always too wet or too dry. He
spent most OF his time fishing and
hunting, and he was fine companion
to have along on such trip. He could
tell you more funny stories than you
could possibly remember. In the local.
ity where he lived there was rarely
any lack of rain, but Bill would often
sit down on log and picture In glow
ing colors what he'd do If he was
fixed to irrfgate." -
Bill had at one time owned the farm
on which he now lived. But he got
the fever ito go west" At last he
found a man to buy him out, and he
departed for the land where a man
could live without working. He was
gone about year and came back
broke" and went on the farm he had
left as renter.
All during the sunny days when the
grass and weeds were nOurishing and
choking out the crops not glimpse
could you catch Of Bill In the field. but
you could hear the deep mouthed bay
of his hound, Trailer, and the sullen
boom of his muzzle loader Off In the
woods along the creek.
Bill chuckled ut Sans remark.
but let that co." Sam continued. II
didn't come down here to preach.
What | want to know is thiss Will you
plow my field for me some time soOnr'
"Whatr' exclaimed Bill. "YOu atRt
thinkin' Of goin' back on that clay Pile
air yer" ~,
Eyes; that's what I'm going to lido"
swell, you're crazier than Thought
you was. Wish was away from out
there; you wouldn't ketch me goin
back. How do you think you're gOin
to make a Twin on that farm ~
"Tm going to make 1t or the land
Of course" e1ge
Don't you GIT no SIGH fool idea init
your head" Bill exclaimed with con
yiction. why, boy. that land won
sprout peas" ~ - ~ /.
Its going to do 1t anyway replies
Sam. "And. more'n that, it's going t
grow 'em after they're sprouted. And
besides that. it's going to raise some 0
the finest corn and cotton In thi
'" county"
you'll never do It." Bill asserted
II know that land. You can't raise
disturbance on it"
"IOok here, BILL said Sam. 'yOu'v
been on the farm a long time, and
guess you've learned some things abou
the business, but one thing Is certain
you don't know how to farm, and tn
proof Of It is that you don't raise goo
crops"
"Ain't nobody goin' to raise goo
crops when it's too dry or too we
You got to have things right"
mo; that's not the trouble. Goo
crops can be raised with the season
Just as they are. And don't kno'
much about farming. but I'm going
show you how to do the trick bette
than it's been done In the neighbo
hood"
"Where'd you learn 30 much, I'd iii
10 known Bill inquired in an amuse
tone.
II learned it from books and fro
men that know how to farm"