West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-07-27
SYNOPSIS


Joe Weston. fourteen years old. decides
% make success OF his fathers run
down farm. He reads the latest scientific
bookA Mr. Somerviilc. n merchant. ngroes
TO help him.
joss father Is pcssimist,c. He sneers
e book farming and book farmers. Mr..
oomervfne. struck with Joos business
ABILITY and ambition. backs him In prize
eompetitons.
Passcrsby on tho road linger to watch
Joe operate The sneers that were In
evidence at. first soon give way to looks
Of surprise Joe is showing Thorn some
thing ~ . farmer.
Joe's fathers pessimism gradually
FADES away. He watches Joe work. Ho
sees him perform wonders with the soil.
He soon In as enthusiastic rs Joe His
conversion pleases Mr.. Somorville.
Joes corn Is tho wonder OF tho country
side- With money he received from n
commission merchant for his product no
starts bank account, which he proudly
exhibits to his father.
There Is n constant demand for tho corn
100 Is raising. In the prize competition
Joe makes 1ss bushels on an aero M n
cost OF $l23o.
It Is announced that Joe Weston. tho
book farmer. won tho first corn prize for
MS county. His father says "Son. I'm
powerful proud OF ye-"
Joo Is overwhelmed with 10y Mt recent
or telegram that no also has won state
cnampionship. With the money he pays
on part OF tho FARMS indebtedness Ie
also wins trip to White House.
Joe describes TO his mother and sister
hia Trip To tho White House and his talk
with the president. Then no goes back 20
the faxm which now is tho talk OF the
entire countryside.
Joe meets Tom Ralston, n boy OF about
his own age. Tom Is from tho north and
Is In quest OF health. The Ralston boys
Iather is wealthy. and Joe and Tom be-
como fast friends.
Tom Ralston's father takes n great Tx
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 buys his mother a canning outfit.
His mother and sister are enthusiastic
at the prospect OF helping in tho general
money making scheme, and they start
work with a will.
Tom Ralston has been studying scien-
tho farming, and he gives Joe valuable
points. Joe takes his father to the corn.
Held and they actually hear the corn
grow.
Tho time for the next exhibit is near.
and Joe and his father and Tom RaIston
can In witnesses. 1t Is now plain that
prize winner OF the county and state
Joe. Mr.. Weston and Tom Ralston start
Tor the fair. Joe accidentally learns that
he Is about TO take the prize from a poor
boy. He refuses to enter. The poor boy
wins When Mr.. Ralston hears OF Joe's
noble act he gives him moro than the
amount OF the prize.
Before going to work on his book
he told about how Link had finally
got the idea that time was money.
Mr.. Weston laughed.
THAT reminds me OF another story
they tell on Hen Tucker. He WINS I'm
town one day, and n teller was on the
street sellin' new kind OF incubator.
Hen stood right in front OF the crowd,
mouth open, takin' IL all In. The man
explained that the incubator would do
the work and the settin' hens could
be put back TO work layin'.
Amt It n wonder, friend? Don't
you think It's fne7 Amt II a time
saverr preached the agent. Tucker
thought 1t was up to him to say some
thing, so he kind o. gasped, his mouth
workin' Ike that OF perch ont O. wa
ter.
Aw, shucks,' seize. tryin' TO show
the crowd how smart he was, what's
the use o. that contrapdon? What's
time to a settin' hen. anyhow I
thought that crowd would bust their
sides laughin'. Everybody used to call
I'm Henry before that, but they got to-
fallin' him 'Settin' Hen. an then it
got down 10 Hen an that's been his
name ever since"