The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-02-10

popularity Of the agriculturiSt that.
among all professions. he holds his
own in the worst repute. In later
years has come gradually broaden
ing conception that farming, after all.
calls for brain as well as muscle. and
that the man who can wrestle a sue
cessfui living from nature has as much
right to hold up his head in the world
as the experimenter in medicine or
the lawyer playing hide-and-seek with
justice through the cracks in the Grim
inal code. Herein is a germ of the
cityward migration: the farmer him
self is looking for something better"
for his children.
slim was a good man." persisted
his wife. Don't you think you were
well, perhaps. little hasty with
him?"
Harris sat back. 1t was his wife's
business to agree. For twenty years
and more she had been faithful in the
discharge of that duty. That she
should suggest an opinion out of har-
mOny with his indicated a lack of dis
cipline, not very serious, perhaps. but
seed which. if permitted to flourish.
might develop to dangerous proper
tions
$50 you're goin' to take his part,
too? It's strange thing if I can't
handle my hired help without advice
from the house,
Mary flushed at the remark. Any
open quarrel with her husband, espe-
ciaIIy before the children-ior she
still thought of the man and woman
to her left and right as 1.-THE children"
was more painful to her than any
submission could have been. 1t would
be so much easier to change the SUBJ
ject, to follow the line of least resist
ance, and forgot the incident as quick
" as possible. But of late the convic-
ton had been coming home to her
that some time, somewhere, she must
make stand. And, quite unbidden,
a strange surge of defiance welled in
her when her husband so frankly told
her to mind her own business
81 was under the impression we
were managing this farm together,
you and I, john" she said, very calm
~, but with a strange ring in her
voice when we came West 1 under
stood it was to build our home.
didn't know it was just to be your
home"
The look of surprise with which
Harris greeted her words was abSo-
! Iuteiy genuine A hot singing retort
| sprang to his lips, but by a sudden
| effort he suppressed it. 1--WE will talk
| about that some other time. Mary" he
said IF Jim had answered my ques-
/ ton fairly. as he had a right TO, in
stead of beatin' around the bush.
might We let him off. But when 1
wanted to know what kept him he
simply parried me, maxim a fool of
nal smile of his"
$50 that's what started itI' ex-
claimed Beulah. well, I'll tell you
what kept him. if he wouldn't. The
cattle got into the oats through a
| break in the fence, and 1 couldn't get
| them out. and the dog went ki-yi-ing
O-er the prairie after a rabbit, and
i1st as I was beginning to-to-cOn-
dense over it Jim came up and saved
| the situation What if he did keep
your old engine waiting? There are
| more important things than blowing"
"Aha % said Harris, knowingly.
''WelI, guess it's just as well it hap
pened as it did. Jim was gettin' al
together too good at runnin' at your
heels"
That's all the thanks he gets for
working late and early, like no other
hired man in the district All right.
You and Allan can milk the cows to-
night, for I won't-see?'