West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-07-06
SYNOPSIS

100 weston, fourteen years old. decides
20 mako q success OF his fathers run
down farm. He reads the latest scientific
books bfr. Somerville a merchant. agrees
to help him.
Joe's father In pesslmistic. ue sneers
at book farming and book farmers. Mr.
Somervi1e struck with Joes business
ability and ambition. backs him In prize
eompetiuona
Passersby on tho road linger to watch
Joe operata The sneers that wero In
evidence ut nrst coon give way to looks
Of surprise. Joe is showing them some
thing a. . farmer.
Joe's fathers pessImism gradually
fades away. He watches Joe work. He
sees him perform wonders with tho soil.
He soon Ii as enthusiastic as Joe. His
conversion pleases Mr.. Somerville.
Joe's corn Is tho wonder OF tho country
SIDE. With money he received from n
commission merchant for his product no
starts q bank account, which no proudly
exhibits to his father.
There Is constant demand for tho corn
Joe is raising. In the prizo competition
Joo makes 1sS bushels on an acre mt n
cost OF $l2-so.
II is announced that Joe Weston. the
book farmer. won the first corn prize for
MS county. His father says, "Son. I'm
powerful proud OF ye."
Joe Is overwhelmed with Joy ut recent
or O telegram that he also has won state
championship. With tho money he pays
Z on part OF the FARMS Indebtedness Ho
also wins trip to White House.
Joe describes to his mother and sister
his trip to the White House and his talk
with the president. Then no goes back TO
the farm which now Ia the talk Of the
entire countryside.
Joe meets Tom Ralston, a boy OF about
his own age. Tom Is from tho north and
Is In quest OF health. The Ralston boys
father Is wealthy. and Joe and Tom be-
como fast friends
Tom Ralstons father takes n great llk-
ing to Joe and offers TO back him and
help him In every way. Joe finally ac-
cepts Mr.. Ralston's offer OF fifty loads of
manure.
joe says he, Just remember this,
that good farmer-a real good farmer
and an honest mans just as useful
and occupies just as high a place In
this country as president, senator or
congressman. Don't forget that. Be
proud OF the fact that you are n farmer
IL you are q good ONE"
Joe returned from Washington on
Friday. Sunday afternoon he was
scrambling around In the closets and
on the shelves of the attic room, haul
Ing out old school books and busting
them of.
Whatever are you up to. Joer' IN
CURED Mrs. Weston.
Just trying to get some books to-
gether. I'm going to start TO school
again tomorrow"
but you studied those books Inst
year.
"Yes'm, and don't know 'em either.
I'm going right back and make It up."
Wont that put you In classes with
lot OF boys much younger than you
are?"
i guess 1t will, ma, and know the
Fellows VIII rag me something fierce
about It, and maybe I'll have to fight
about II, but right there I'm going be-
cause ] belong there"
II kind OF hate for you to do f."
unused bis mother. "You ought 10 be
able to go In higher classes than thatY'
"Oh. i reckon l could keep up, but
I'm trying TO be honest with myself.
don't know my arithmetic, and I
don't know grammar, and don't know
how TO spell l didn't study like I
ought to have done when l was there
before, 30 it's for my own good"
What started you on such an idea.
JoeT'
The president. When he told me
goodby he looked me right In the eyes
and said, Whatever happens. always
be honest and absolutely square with
yourself SO got to thinking about
II hadn't been honest with myself
the last year was in school because
SKINNED, and It wasn't honest TO the
teacher either. I'm going back and
make It good"
1t took a good deal OF courage 10 20
to the teacher and be placed in classes
with boys three and four years young
er than himself, but Joe took his med
icine like man. OF course he was
guyeds but be took It good humoredly.
Ihats all right Go ahead, you
fellows, and have all the fun out OF Il
you can. I'm paying for not studying.
II you'd tell the truth about It a lot
OF you would be right in this class
with me. co ahead I've got It com
ing TO me, and II don't make me mad
He grinned amiably at their chaff-
Ing, and when the boys found he
would not lose bis temper over II they
let him alone.
The second week after be started 10
school tho county superintendent OF
education came over 30 start the Boys
Corn club again and TO get ready for
the approaching season. Somehow
there seemed 90 be an utter lack Of en-
thusiasm among the boys. They did
not applaud his utterances, and only
few OF them went forward and sign.
ed the roll.
What on earth Is tho matter with
themT' whispered the superintendent
70 the teacher, CONSERVATION written
all over his countenance.
Goodness knows. but it IS some
thing; that IS certain" she replied in
an uDdertone.
Joe Weston instinctively felt that he
was In some way concerned in the re-
fusal OF the boys 20 join. lie caught
several OF them looking az him out OF
the corners Of their eyes and shifting
their glances when he looked in their
direction.
Then at recess he overheard n group
Of the boys talking They did not
know he was near. Reddy Haywood
was holding forth. and tho rest az
them nodded approvingiy.
"Ain't no use our goin' in that Corn
club--Joe Weston's goin' in Hes Of
ready won The state championship and
knows how. What chance we got7
No more'n n rabbit IN q burning sedge
heid. I Just amt goin' in. that's
wbatr'
Ne. tool Ne, tor echoed several