The Dolores star., 1916-05-05

IF had one Of those. I couldn't
have your farm" said I.
He sQuInted shrewdly. "Dunno's
yer kin. anyway. do YER was his reply.
He now led US into the kitchen. We
saw the face Of the old lady peering
at Us from the "butt'ry." A modern
range was backed up against q huge,
old-fashioned brick oven, no longer
used. A copper pump. with q brass
knob on the curved handle, stood at
one end Of the sink-"Goes ter the
WELL" said Milt The floor was Of an
cient hardwood planking. now worn
into polished ridges. A door led up q
low step into the main house, which
consisted. downstairs. OF two rooms.
dusty and disused. to the left, and two
similar rooms, used as bedrooms. to
the south (all four containing IRE
places. and a hall. where a staircase
with carved rail led to the hall above.
fianked by four chambers, each with
its fireplace, too. Over the kitchen was
a long, unfinished room easily convert.
ed into q servants quarters. Secretly
pleased beyond measure at the excel.
lent preservation of the interior. I kept
q discreet silence, and with an air Of
great wisdom began my inspection Of
the farm.
Twenty acres Of the total thirty were
on the side Of the road with the house,
and the lot was almost square-about
three hundred yards to a side. The
land had, l fancied, been neglected fol
many years, like the tumbling stone
walls which bounded 1t. Behind thu
barn. on the other side of the road
the rectangular ten-acre lot was rough
second-growth timber by the brook
and cow pasture all up the slope and
over the plateau.
Returning to the house, We took .
sample Of the water from the we'll TO,
analysis. When I asked the old lady
u made the mistake Of calling her Mrs
Noble) to boil the bottle and cork frst
l think they both decided I was mad
"Now," said I, as I put the sampl,
In my pocket. III this water. gets q
clean bill Of health, what do you want
for the placer
"What'll you give mel" said Milt.
Look here" said I, I'm q Yankee,
too, and l can answer one question
with another just as long as you can
What do you expect me to give your
The old man spat meditatively. and
wiped his whiskers with the back OF
his hand.
Pitt Perkins got 1--WE hundred dol.
lars an acre for his place." said he
How'd eight thousand dollars strike
your"
took the bottle of well water from
my pocket, and extended it toward
him. Here" said. there's NO need
for me to have this analysed"
"sevenT said he.
"Four!" said I.
"Six" said he.
mot a cent over four" said l..
"All right" said he, didn't much
want ter sell. anyhow" And he peck
eted the bottle.
climbed into the car. The engine
began to throb. The professor put OF
his gloves.
"Five." said Milt. with the boss an
two Jerseys an all the wood in the
she'd"
He was standing in the road beside
the modern motor car. a pathetic old
figure to me, SO like my grandfather IL
many ways, the last Of an ancient or
der. Poverty. decay. was written on
him, as on his farmstead.
ats yours" l cried.
got out of the car again, and W
made arrangements to meet in the vii.
lage and put the deal through. Their
I asked him the question which had
been pressing from the first. why
do you sell?'
He pointed toward a distant estate
with great chimneys and gables,
browning hill. This hain't my coun
try no MORE" he said, with a kind of
mOurnful dignity. Its theirs.
guess five thousand dollars IL last me
bout as long as my breath will. Yer
got a good farm here-if yer can at
ford ter put some money back inter
the soil"
He looked out over his fields and we
looked mercifully into the motor. The
professor backed the car around, and
We said good-by.
"Well!' I cried, as we spun down
over the bridge at my brook, i've got
country estate Of my own! I've got
a home! I've got freedomr'
you've got stuck" said the pro
fessor. He'd have taken four thou.
sand dollars"
:ssasssa:ssss
~ This college professor, with 3