Year: 1868

p
on that land of yours another season, are
you : asked Walter, as the two met in
street one evening.


TO be sure am was the response


But here's Simons wants n clerk, and
I told him guessed you would be glad
to come


What will he pay?'


Three hundred


'Ah, Walter, l can make more than
that from my land


Sturgis opened his eyes in astonsh-
ment.


You're joking said Sturgis.
mo, sir. | received five hundred and
five dollars in money last year. Seventy
five Of that went for manure but some
of that manure is now on hand, as |
found the land 50 rich last year as not TO
need much more than half of it. This
season | shall have two hundred dollars
worth of Strawberries, if nothing unusual
happens.


'And you don't have to work any win
ters to do thisF


NO; four months labor is about all !
can lay out to advantage on it,


Walter went to his store, and during
the rest Of the evening he wondered how
it was that some folks had so much luck


During the second season Peter had
experience for guide, and he filed up
many gaps that he had left open the year
before. His Strawberries turned out bet
ter than he had anticipated, and he made
better arrangement for his melons -
And then from all that land whereon he
planted his early peas, etc, he obtained a
second crop OF much value. 1t was but
one hours drive into the citv. and he al
ways obtained the highest prices, tor he
brought the earliest vegetables in the
market.


On the first of the next November he
had cleared seven hundred dollars for the
season over and above all expenses


One morning after the crops were all,
Peter found man walking about over
the land, and as the young man came up
the stranger asked him who owned the
hillside.


It is mine, sir, replied Peter.


The man looked about, and then went
away, and on the next day he came Out
with two others. They looked over the
place, and they seemed to be dividing il
off into small lots. They remained abou,
an hour, and then went away. Peter
suspected the land was wanted for some
thing That evening he stepped in at
the post office, and there he heard that q
railroad was going to be put through the
village rs soon as the workmen could be
set at it,


On the next morning Peter went ouI
upon his land, and as he reached the up
per boundary and turned and looked
down. the truth flashed upon him. Hi:
hillside had gentle, easy slope, ami the
view from any part Of it was delightful
A brook ran down through it, from ar
exhaustless spring up in the ledge, and
the locality would be cool and agreeable
in summer and warm in winter. At the
foot of the hill, on the left lay a small
lake, while the river ran in sight for sew
eral miles.


'Of course soliloquized Peter, 'the,
think this would make beautiful building
lots. And wouldn't it' Curious that
never thought of this before. And ther
when the railroad comes here, peopl,
from the city will! want their dwelling
here. But this land is valuable. 1t il
worth-let me see-say six hundred dol
lars year. | can easily get eight Of
nine hundred dollars for what | coult
raise here, and l know that two hundred
dollars will pay me good round pric,
for the labor perform on it. And tier
when my peach trees grow up, and my
strawberry beds increase-Ho its NOR,
valuable to ne than il could be to any
one else


When Peter went home he could moi
resist the temptation to sit down, ant
calculate how many house-lots his land
would make; and he found that his hill
side would afford fifty building spots
with a good garden to each ono. Bat h,
didn't think of selling.


Two days afterwards, six men came tC
look at the land, and after travelling ovel
1t, and sticking up some stakes, thcy wen
away. That evening Peter went dowr
to the hotel, and the first thing he hear,
was,


AHA, Pete, you've missed it


How so . asked Peter


why, how much did you get for you
hills =


What do you meant


Haven't you sold IT,


mo sir


why, there was a man here LOOKING
at 1t week or so ago, and to-day h
came and brought five city merchant
with him, and can take my oath, tha
each one of them engaged building 10
of him. One Of 'em spoke to me abou
what lovely spot it was and toll
him nobody would have thought OF build
ing there till you got the rocks off Blu
haven't you sold it, though ?


NO, not an inch of it,


why, that man teld me he had en-
gagged to pay four hunkred dollars for
choice lot of twelve square rods
Then he will find his lot somewher
else guess, till sell out.
Some more conversation was held, an
then Peter went home. On the follow
ing forenoon, the very man who had bee