The Glenwood post., 1917-09-22

of career in the country, and began
to Ian for something else. The last |
heard of them, the older one was
bank cashier in thriving little west
ern city, and the other was a school
in South Dakota.
The Blanks farmed big and worked
hard at times They always kept
enough horses to run circus They
" fell" for any piece of new machinery
that came to their notice. 1t never was
worn out, but often was left sitting
for months where is was used last
Sometimes the binder stood in the field
in winter with canvasses on. Two
dollars worth of implements
at purchase price stood discarded in
the grove. Some pieces were almost
new, while others had been picked up
at sales because they were cheap.
They spent freely at celebrations, cir
cuses and dances, and never were too
busy to go to ball games. What they
could buy on time they bought. Soon
the bankers refused them money; the
merchants and implement dealers in
vestigated and their credit was no good
They already owed everybody they
could. At last the reckoning came,
and Blank took the bankrupt law
They quit and moved to town a few
counties away.
The last I knew of them the old
gentleman wasdabbling a little in real
estate, one boy was running a dray, an
other was selling pianos, and the other
two had jobs in a garage. They still
spend money as fast as they get it and
live from hand to mouth. The boys
declare that there is no money in farm
ing, and that the man who follows it
is fool.
More than 30 years ago Farmer
Smith came into northwestern Nebras-
ka and took a homestead. Later he
bought an adjoining quarter and had
as fine farm as there was in the
county. Both he and his wife worked
and in time they had beautiful farm
home, surrounded by trees, flowers and
shrubs. hTe barn and granaries were
filled with hay and grain, and fine
stock was found in the pastures. They
loved the country and were prosperous
and happy. AS the children grew up
they went to the little school a mile
away. Usually an s-month term was
taught by girl in her teens. In the
winter there were 80 pupils from to
l6 years of age, and distributed
throughout the various grades. Often
the teacher was the daughter of a |
neighbor; sometimes she was town
girl, with little or no interest in the
country.
Neither Smith nor his wife had re.
ceived much education in their youth. |
but they knew its value and were de. |
termined to give the children the best
school advantages possible. They lid
not like to send them away to board in
town, but could see no other way TX.
cept to rent the farm and to make their |
home in town. They bought a place
pretty well out and kept horse, a COW
few hens, and had garden. Mrs.
smith joined the Aid, the w. {. 7. j..
and the Mothers club. Mr. Smith cot
place on the school board, and there
was some talk of running him for n !
place on the town board. For while
they enjoyed this seeming popularity,
but gradually it changed. For some
reason they didn't feel at home.
They loved the old home and hated
to see it neglected. They have re.
turnd at once, but the children, grown
now and almost through school, would
not listen to it. The older girl was
married; the boys talked of college and
the professions. Finally the last one
was safely through school, and estab.
llshed in business for himself. Then
the father and mother returned to the
Old home to redeem it from neglect.
They replenished the fields, revived the
orchard, and repaired and painted until
the farm took on its odtime appear.
ance.
But it was not the same place, for AZ
remember them now, they sat under
the great tree in the front yard with
hard wrinkled hands tenderly claspad
as they dreamed of the old days when
the children were at home on the farm
1HIs aAFHY 1E1fovHa WoR,saI