West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-04-13

III was done in a few minutes, the
document providing that Joe's services
were sold 10 John Someryille for one
year from date for 800; that said
Weston bound himself 10 interfere I'm
no way with any experimental or
planting operations carried on by said
boy and j. SOmervile and 90 turn over
four acres fronting on the public road
20 said boy and release all rights 10 any
crop the said Joe Weston might make
"Now. Tom Weston. / think for the
last fifteen years I've heard you com
plain that you couldn't get out OF debt
and the wonders you would perform
N you ever did. According TO our
books. you owe us SiGO. part Of It three
years old. My contract for Joe calls
for 500. I'm going 10 do better than
that and pay you $1GO. I've wiped Off
the books. You don't owe me n cent ="
THANK you. sir"
"Now. listen, You and Joe are even
IN bet you n hat that / can take a
fourtecn-year-oldb boy and on four acres
Of land farmed like sense and industry
and the books say. we will make more
profit on these four acres than you will
make OF the twenty you pretend to
cultivate.
Come on. Joe. the farming firm OF
Weston & Somervillc is now going out
90 learn something about book farm
ing""
Mr.. Somerville would have won his
bet about the farmers at the agricul-
tural lecture There were less than
twenty five who had come TO hear the
experts. but the county superintendent
OF education had managed TO corral
about twelve boys OF various ages I'm
the room
Joe and Mr.. SOmerville were inter
ested from the start, for everything the
lecturers said was perfectly plain and
seemed the essence OF practical com
mon sense. At noon the two gentle
men were glad TO accept the invitation
Of Brierheld's largest merchant TO go
90 his home FOR dinner. Joe was intro
duced 10 both OF the visitors They
were young men and graduates OF ag-
ricultural schools. He and the state
superintendent OF agriculture got to he
great friends.
81 was a chap just about like you
said the official, land | didn't have
much chance, but l just made up my
mind / would learn. and the rest was
easy"
In the afternoon the president of the
board OF supervisors announced that
the board understood that Boys
Corn club" was TO be organized, and
| he was authorized TO say that the
board had appropriated hundred dol
lars I'm gold, fifty of which was to be
paid to the boy under eighteen years
OF age who on a measured acre pro
duced the greatest yield OF corn at the
least expense, twenty five TO the next
fifteen TO the next ana ten to the next
| you can just add as prizes from
my company complete outfit OF
clothes for the first prize-entire suit
hat, shoes, underwear, shirts, collars
and ties; pair OF shoes and hat tC
all OF the next prize winners" Mr.
Somerville's announcement was greet
cd with applause.
"Mr. Chairman, the Planters banl
will add fifty I'm gold. twenty-five e
be added 10 the first prize, 50 each tC
the next prizes, and n fifth prize OF
$40 to be created" chimed I'm the pres
ident OF the bank, who had followed
Mr.. Somerville I'm TO see what his best
customer was doing at the farmers
meeting
Now, there's something else" sale
the state commissioner OF agriculture
THE state will give to the winner oil
every prize n handsomely engraved
certificate OF merit, bearing the sigma
ture OF the governor, myself and tn,
secretary of state, with the great sea
OF the state on &C. This is a testmO
NAL you can frame and keep always
And In addition the winner OF every
first prize I'm each county will have tn,
records gone over In my Office, and tn
winner OF the highest record I'm tn,
state will receive free trip to Wash
ington.
can agent OF the national depart
ment OF agriculture will collect the
boys at various points. They will be-
taken TO the capital as the honOred
guests OF the nation-the champion
corn grower Of each state. They will