The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-11-12
FARMING FOR WIFE
BY EMMA LIBBEY.
1918, by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate)

He was clean-cut, bright-eyed
young man, but his usually cheerful
countenance was married by a scowl
that told of worriment, as he read the
last few lines in letter he had just
received, written in a distinctly femi-
nine hand.
Il have tried to have Dad invite you
down here to the farm, and have told
him that you wanted his consent to
marry me. He was furious at once,
and says that l shall never marry
man from the city, with his consent,
but that my husband must be farmer.
Dad is dear old soul, but is very
decided on this one point, as he has
seen so many of the farms around
here ruined on account of the boys
going to the city. Oh, Harry, dear, If
you had only taken course in agricul-
ture while at college, think all would
have been right, as Dad is not back
number, but believes firmly in scien-
tific farming, and has for years been
hoping that some energetic young man
would settle In this locality, and show
what modern methods can do on a
farm. He realizes that he is too old
to undertake making any decided
changes on this place. You have over
come other obstacles so easily that 1
still hope you may in some way be able
vince him how strong our love is for
each other 1 think he might give his
consent. Good night, dear, and pleas
ant dreams. Your loving
ELISE"
Here was indeed problem for Har-
ry Duke to solve. Left by his father
with ample means, he had doubled
them In five years by his ability, which
was greater inheritance than money.
This new problem he went at with the
same energy that characterized all his
undertakings.
A few weeks later Mr.. Reed, the
father of Elise, came home with the
! announcement that the Jones farm,
which adjoined his, had been pur-
chased by an enterprising young man
who proposed to make a model farm
of it. He said that he had been told
the new owner had made careful
/ study of the agricultural question, and
! was going to work the farm according
! to the latest scientific discoveries. AS
Mr.. Reed was talking he might have
noticed a smile creep over his daugh-
ter's face, but he was too much inter-
ested in the story of his new neighbor
to think of anything else. He was so
greatly pleased at the thought of such
farm next to his own neatly kept
acres that he at once went over to call
on his new neighbor.
He found him In the field dressed in
q rough suit of clothes and supervising
the work of several men who were en-
gagged in repairing the walls and
fences. He gave the old farmer q cor
dial reception and explained that he
proposed to do very little that summer
except to get the place into condition,
but that the next year he planned to
have skillful superintendent to at
tend to the cultivation Of the farm in
the best possible manner.
That night Mr.. Reed was loud in his
praises of his new neighbor. II tell you,
'Lise. that man is a real man, not the
kind you find In the city, and who
know little except to swindle their
nelghbors."
AS the weeks went by he chuckled
| many times as he saw the new farmer
and Elise walking over the place to-
| gether. AS he came unexpectedly upon
| them one day 1t was apparent that his
daughters waist was encircled by an
arm that belonged to his new neighbor.
Seeing a Quizzical smile on the older
mans face, the young man said: "Mr.
Reed, love your daughter dearly and
want her for my wife. am wealthy,
and will do all can to make her hap
py, and for at least half of each year
we could live on this farm, so you and
Elise could be near each other. VIII
you take me for your SOM" The hearty
hand clasp the old man gave him was
answer enough.
zone thing more I wish to say, Mr..
Reed, in order to be honest. am Har-
~ Duke, to whom you objected some
time ago, and really know very little
about farming. hope you will for
give my methods of getting acquainted
with you, but my future happiness was
at stake, and took a desperate
chance"
The old mans face was q study as
he replied: swell, that is too bad. !
thought you was one Of these college
educated, scientific farmers. But 'Lise
surely wants you, and hope you will
make her happy" With a smile the
! young man placed his arm around the
older mans shoulders and said: dad,
am going to hire men to carry on this
farm, under your advice, as model
farm, and we will show the farmers
around her what really up-to-date
methods will do"
|