West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-07-13
SYNOPSIS

Toes father is pcssimIstic. He sneers
at book farming and book farmers. Mr..
6omervtllc. struck with Joe's business
ability and ambition. backs him In prize
competitions.
Passersby on the road linger to watch
Joe operate Tho sneers that wero In
evidence at first soon give way to looks
OF gurpriSA Joe is showing them some
thing ~ farmer.
Joe's fathers pessImism gradually
FADES away. He watches Joe work. Ho
sees him perform wonders with tho soil.
He soon Is as enthusiastic rs Joe. His
conversion pleases Mr.. 6omerville
Joes corn n tho wonder OF the country
side. With money ne received from
commission merchant for his product he
starts q bank account, which he proudly
exhibits to his father.
There is constant demand for tho corn
JOG Ii raising. In the prize competition
Joe makes 1SS bushels on an acre mt n
cost OF $3.50
II Is announced that Joo Weston, tho
book farmer. won the first corn prize for
his county. His father says "Son, I'm
powerful proud OF ye."
Joe Is overwhelmed with 10y Mt recent
or telegram that no also has won state
championship. With the money no pays
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 tho president Then he goes back 70
tho farm which now Is tho talk Of tho
entire countrywide.
Joe meets Tom Ralston. n boy of about
MS own age. Tom Is from tho north and
Is In quest OF health. Tho Ralston boys
father Is wealthy. and Joe and Tom be-
como fast friends
Tom Ralston's father takes n great IIk-
Ing TO Joe and offers to back him and
help him in every way. Joe finally nc
cepts Mr.. Ralston's offer OF fifty loads of
manure.
Joe buys his mother a canning outfit
His mother and sister are enthusiastic
Mt tho prospect Of helping In tho general
money making scheme. and they start
work with q will.
Tom Raiston has been studying scien-
tho farming. and he gives Joe valuable
points. Joe takes his father TO tho corn.
grow.
zza
Hope you Will get better soon" as.
sured Tom.
"Thanky. sub, en- hopes yo' tnjoys
de same blessin'."
How about the possums." inouired
Joe.
Oats persackly whut / come I'M
hyar ter see yo' all erbout, Marse Tom
10 wuz a-talkin' erbout wantin' ter go
possum huntin' en- ter tas'e err baked
possum wild yam taters swimmin' I'm
de gravy on de side"
"Oh, yes; I'd love to do both"
We'll, now's de time
How do you know, Uncle Jeff?"
"Oh, knows. De moon Is In de fust
quarter, jes' ernuff ter give or little
light en- not ernuff ter th'ow err shad.
der. Err possum is or powerful COW.
ardly varmint, en- he won't feed on or
bright moonlight night. His own shad.
der skeers i'm. An den hits sorter
nippin' en- frosty, Ell er possum ain
ntten ter eat less'n lie be dressed en-
put on top OF er shingle roof fer de
fros' ter soak In I'm all de night"
"Oh, that's foolishnessl Why won't
a refrigerator do as well? The object
Is to get the animal heat out of the
carcass" answered Tom.
''Mout be foolish, but wants ter az
yer one queschun. Who started dis yer
business er eatin' possums-niggers,
mhut pens on de fros', or wite folks,
whut has desc hyar freezeraters-huhf"
1T don't know" admitted Tom sheep.
ishly.
I'm co'se you dunno. Hit wuz de
niggers, en- OATS de way de niggers
fixes possums. Can't nobody but or
niger cook er possum jes' right mel
Their? I'd as soon eat or dawg ez or
possum cooked by any one else en- on
hess de fros' has soaked in i'm"
Yfo
That's fact, Tom, about nobody but
a darby knowing how TO cook possums
just exactly right Why, Colonel Aims
worth. who lived down the river from
here. got TO specializing In cotton and
made a whole lot OF money. He under
took 20 put on great deal of style then
had his house fixed over and sent TO
New Orleans and got q French chef,
and the first entertainment was n big
possum supper 20 a lot OF his cronies
from New Orleans. You just ought TO
hear the colonel tell about Il.
THAT Frenchman didn't know how
90 cook possums. and he brought them
IN roasted and swimming In cream
gravy with n lot OF chopped vegetables
all over 'em, a Ia something or other
room and asked him about 70. Then the
colonei got so mad at his dinner being
ruined he grabbed big fat possum By
the hind legs from the dish and slam
med the chef over the head with II and
ran him down the front steps trying to
hit him again.
The colonel said be agreed 60 gay
that chef a hundred dollars a month.
but any cook who couldn't tx a pOssum
right wasn't worth two bits a year. He
sent the chef back on the next boat
ana sent FOR Aunt Venus. Uncle Jefrs
wife, and she cooked the possuns next
day"
Uncle Jen stood chuckliDg
II wuz dar. 70 tes' Oughter seed dat
Frenchy bounce down dem steps. He
wuz fat, an de colonel he wuz rat too.
a-nakin' lick at i'm Wild every jump
wid dat possum all smearcd over wid
cream gravyi lie wuz dc maddest w'ne
man I ever seed DO guests ain quit
latin tweil Ut. reckon Hit shore WIZ
funny
"Ail right. have your way about the
frost, Uncle JEFF" conceded Tom.
only ] want 20 help catch n possum
and eat ft ~ IL - cooked right"
Now OATS dc way ter talk 70
leave DC buntin' ter me en- INK Rube.
an De cookin' ter Mis- Venus. en- an
We axes 30 boys - ter furnish de AZ.
pertites en- don founder yo'se'fs.s
We can furnish faa aupefites All
right" assured Joe.
We'll hight after supper So ON Ga,
on 20 90 clo'es, On mo ca RubeB KIT
oe oowgs en- De res Of dc nxin'a"