Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-06-03
CHAPTER VI-Continued

Pervus drove into the Chicago mar
ket every other day. During July and
August he sometimes did not have his
clothes off for a week. Together he
and Jan Steen would load the wagon
with the days garnering. At four he
would start on the tedious trip into
town. The historic old Haymarket on
West Randolph street had become the
stand for market gardeners for miles
around Chicago Here they stationed
their wagons in preparation for the
1ext days selling. The early conner
got the advantageous stand. There
was no regular allotment of space.
Peryus tried to reach the Haymarket
by nine at night. Often bad roads
made a detour necessary and he was
late That usually meant bad business
1oXt day. The men, for the most
part slept on their wagons, curled up
on The wagon seat or stretched out on
lhe sacks. Their horses were stabbed
and fed in nearby sheds, with more
actual comfort than the men them
selves. One could get a room for
twenty-five cents in one Of the ram
shSckle rooming houses that faced the
street. But the rooms were small,
5JuhE none too clean; the beds little
more comfortable than the wagons. Be
sides, twenty-five cents You got TWEEN
ly-hye cents for half a barrel of toma-
Toes. You got twenty-five cents for a
sack of potatoes. Onions brought
seYenty-fve cents a sack. Cabbages
went hundred heads for two dollars,
ana they were five-pound heads. If you
grove home with ten dollars in your
pocket 1t represented a profit Of ex-
9ctly zero. The sum must go above
that. No. one did not pay out twenty
nVe cents for the mere privilege of
sleeping in a bed.
One June day, month or more after
their marriage, Selma drove into Chi
cago with Peryus, an incongruous little
lgure IN her brides finery perched on
tAe seat Of the vegetable wagon piled
a'gh with early garden stuff. 1t was,
- way their wedding trip, for Selma
Hto not been away from the farm since
AeT marriage.
rs they jogged along now she re-
fealed magnificent plans that had been
forming in her imagination during the
3sst four weeks. 1t had not taken her
-FOUR Weeks-or days-to discover that
.ols great broad-shouldered man she
'ad married was a kindly creature,
GENDER and good but lacking any
feSJse of initiative, of spirit. She
AarVeIed, sometimes, at the memory
p his holiness in bidding for her lunch
oo1 that evening of the rattle. 1t
seemed incredible now, though he fire.
Quentiy referred to it, wagging his
mead doggishly and grinning the broad
y compacent grin of the conquering
male But he was, after all, a dull
lelow and there was in Selma a dash
OF nre' Of wholesome wickedness, Of
adventure, that he never quite under
stood For her flashes of flame he
"au mingled feeling of uneasiness
and pride.
IN the manner of all young brides,
Selma started bravely out to make her
husband over He was handsome,
strong gentle; slow. conservative, mo-
rose. She would make him keen, dar-
.ng' successful, buoyant. Now, bump
ing down the Halsted road, she
sketched some Of her plans in large
dsshing strokes.
'Peryus we must paint the house in
october, before the frost sets in, and
4S'er the summer work is over. Then
mat west sixteen. Wen drain it"
Ieh. DRAIN" Pervus muttered. Its
gay and Drain and you have got yet
Clay. Hard clay SOIL"
Selma had the answer TO that. 81
NSoW II. You've got to use tile drain