The pioneer-review. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1920-current, 1921-02-17
HAAKON COUNTY TYPES
(The Farmer Who Fell for the
MOyies1

The young lad had proved up
his homestead, had bought a
chunk of adjoining land, had seed L
ed a good patch to alfalfa, had
bought a corn-binder, had invested
in some cattle and a few hogs,
and was just squared away to do 4
something and make some money,
The first year he went in good and
strong for the small grains, and
harvested a good crop. BY the
time he was ready for market,
there was no market. The bottom
had dropped out, and there was
nothing but hole where the bot
tom should have been. i
After that he did not go in so
strong as a grain farmer, but de-
voted his attention to alfalfa. The
hay crop was something fierce, and
the seedfourished like everything. I
All summer this farmer rolled a.
round in that alfalfa field, wad-
ding up the hay, and finally had |
seven big stacks of it. Then the |
seed came on, and he cut, and I
cooked, and turned, and threshed,
and sacked that alfalfa seed until /
the frost came. He found out |
that there was a devil of lot of |
work in looking after alfalfa but |
he didn't mind that. But when
he began to look for a market he
could find no one who wanted al |
faifa seed. Then one day q buyer /
from Chicago came to the ranch |
with yellow slip for our friend |
to sign, but he didn't sign it. Lat
er another man came, and again
he passed. Finally, in sheer desper-
alton, he signed the yellow slip
and sold his seed for fifteen cents
pound. All his neighbors and
their neighbors did the same thing
and then seed went up to forty
cents a pound in a jffy.
After that this young Haakon
Icounty farmer decided that cattle
were the thing. So he bought
Isonae steers. He had good luck
with them and they waxed and
Hourished as steers do in this
country When he shipped them.
his car was smashed by the rail-
road company, ditched a few miles
further on, unloaded for feed in a
Iyard with empty racks. left be-
hind without water, and arrived at
market three days late. Undaunt- |
ed, our young farmer decided to
sue the railroad company, and take
a fresh turn at cattle. Cattle were
going higher and higher, and COM
mission men, bankers, and even
the government said that this was
the time to get into the game. So
he bought more cattle, and stayed
for the raise.
Everything looked promising for
awhile. He spent two years of his
young life watering and feeling
those cattle, and then sold them
for ten dollars per head less than
they cost him. His banker sent
H1iH OuC Gil0 iEIuihS III Iilc sup
ment In the same mail there came
duns from the groceryinan and the
doctor. Also a request that ne
come in, pay the interest, and re-
new his note at the bank.
| So John Henry went down be-
hind the barn where his wife and
the children wouldn't hear what
! he said and talked TO himself in
: this fashion: I'll just be damned
1 If / haven't had enouga Of farm
ing. The prices are up to the sky
today, and they are down temor-
row. In January | never know
whether I'll be broke or rolling In
wealth in December. I'll go to
, work on the section, or I'll get a
job in the city carrying hod. AT
least I'll know where | am, ard
where | am likely to be in six
, months. Here ! %"
Then he took fresh breath and
! went on: I'm beginning to see
that / am no gambler. Besides
this farming is a game for real
: gamblers. can see that. should
stick to chuck-a-luck, craps or stud
J poker. A young fellow has a
| lance at these.
So he moved to the city and
: tepnd a job the year round at a
} steady, living wage IN facry ry.
Whereupon all the high-brow cult
| and all the social refornie,s IN the
! land met to consider his case One
) old speckled hen got up, Tapped
| her wings, and read paper on the
: topic Why Do l,oys Leave The
: Farm The burden of it ,...as tnat
ll farm boys and girls 20 off to the
cities to bask n 10 slamor u the
: white lights, tc i'evel IN the picture
Irbnyuc and tha rlsa.trS ard have