The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1916-01-28
Joe. TIE BOOK FARMss.
CONTINUED from page g.
acre IN ME stale.

90 IN futuof u lOuu voice, ana every
word OF what he said was audible.
''what am afraid Of" said he, lis
that Joe Weston, the state champion
Of last year. win enter" The men
tion Of Joe's name made his party
prick up their ears.
'If Joe Weston amt In II think
my boy will win the prize, and ! am
dreadfully anxious for him to- never
did have my heart 80 set on anything"
he continued.
"Any special reasonf" said one OF
the men at his table. helping himself
20 stalk OF celery and munching idly
away on H.
sYes, there is" asserted the school.
teacher earnestly, 1.-THE most urgent
reasons You see. this boy am In.
terested IN Is only fifteen years old
He's the eldest OF four children, all
three considerably younger thnn he Is.
Z His mother Is widow been SO for
four years now. Her husband was n
frifling drunkard who mistreated them
nnd died. leaving them absolutely DIES
titute and on the hands OF charity And
this boy has been the man OF the finn
fly ever since
TOO, bad, too badr' said the other OF
the listeners.
'srhey moved out IN the edge OF
town on this little patch OF ground
and IN a tumble down cabin The
church Indies helped them out that
first year. The mother took In sew
ing. Tho children gathered dandelIon
greens and pokebcrry shoots for salad
and blackberries The Lord only
knows how they got through that frst
year Then good hearted man gave
them n COW. and the ladies' gave n
few chickens. They sold milk and
eggs, and that helped"
II don't reckon anybody could get
closer 20 bedrock poverty than that"
said the frst listener. with shudder.
'sThey could notr' asserted the school
teacher Then this boy. Henry. he's
been like father 20 those children.
He works from daylight to dark. He
put In a sort Of garden the next year;
that helped give n living. and he ped
died some vegetables from Il and
ing manure out there ON that land and
got II pretty rich. There are seven
acres In the place"
why. that's nDei- sah ons Of tho
men.
The gnrien was better next year.
and the COW had calf. aud that prom
ises 70 be- q good COW. They've got
more chickens and make plenty TO eat,
and he sells more. and those children
are able 20 20 10 school in winter now.
thanks 20 Henry. And this year he
squeezed IN three months himsef-the
fipst schooling he ever had"
my, my. what a tough time that
boy hns hadr'
Indeed. yes: bat not whimper
from Henry. He's got the heart OF q
Roman soldier In him And. do you
know. the old skin1int that owns that
place has Como 10 charging that poor
outcast rent on itT'
-Oh, you don't say-the old rnscalr
chorused the two men.
Fact Why, that place was HI such
bad shape Niger family moved out
OF Il before these folks were dumped
there by the Ladies' Of Charity. That
old ascai has given an option on the
place for 800 TO a friend OF mine. II
Henry can buy the place and stop the
drain for rent they'll get along nne
Rent amt much. but n nickel looks a,
big 10 them az n cart wheel"
Mr.. Ralston looked nj Joe He wal
white and breathing hard and strain
ing his ears TO catch every word.
$50 continued the schoolteacher, II
he wins he can commute this scholar
ship for $500 and make nearly anothe
800 on the corn be sells I'll person
ally see that the balance il made u
and enough Il raised to huy him a goo
mule and wagon. II he gets the chanc
he'll actually make and save none
there. II he loses on this | believe
will be the .last straw. actually b.
iieve II will, break his henrt-his splrl
land take the fight out OF him"
whats his recordr' inquired th
other man
1.-TWO hundred and fifteen bushels q
10 cents"
THAT'S wonderful said The first III
tener
"well. he's an experienced garden'
by now, but It's fine record. No re-
ord iiled up 10 this time equals II. so
say that Joe Weston Is the only one
am afraid OF. A few have made fe'
more bushels than Henry has. hut IL
cost was 70 much greater. Why. gue'
what that boy did,
"Can't imagine"
HE went around town and cieane
out every chicken house In town to g
the gunno. He couldn't afford to spen
much money on fertilizer. What
you think OF that for resourcef"
"Just splendid. and hope the HIT
chap wins" said the listener heartily.
There was very little talk at the tab
where Joe and his father sat. Nor d
Mr.. Ralston or Tom seem inclined
break the silence. All had heard Il
words Of the man nc the next tabl
and all seemed depressed and the IL
gone out OF them.
When the meal was finished thu
.vo,k a., tfa foir grounds and mnda Il