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THE FARMER'S BOY.
You ask about that boy of mltut,
An' what hts inclination is? .
Why, stranger, can't you read the sign
That's writ acrost that youngster's
Phis?
He's such a master hand to shirk
. That sometimes I' can most admire
him!
An' lazy! if you gave him work
He'd help you make a chance to fire
him.
His mother says he's quick to learn
That when he's foollu' out o' doors
He's makin' poetry to burn
But watch him fool at doln' chores!
His inclination is to be
A sdhietning that they call a poet
Such , foolishness don't come from me
I aiu't that kind, not if I know it
You see that critter on the wall
There lu the frame? Well, that's a
cow I
His mother says he's got a call
To be a artist; but somehow
'Tisn't such a gift for him to draw;
There's nothin' in it to surprise us.
But what that boy is useful for
Is what I'd like you to advise us.
When I was young it wasn't so;
Boys had a different tralirtn' then
They knew they had to hoe their row
An' work .their way like little men.
There weren't no fine contraptions known
In them old days for saving labor;
And he who'd finished for his own -Would
go and help a friend or neigh
' bor. 1 ' s
You think I'm hard on him? Why,
His mother says he'll turn out grand!
He's juBt the apple of her eye.
But, stranger, when I take a hand
H-u-s-h! Here she comes. Is that you,
ma?
I just was talkin 'bout our Neddy
So smart, I'm proud to be the pa
.Of such a son eh? dinner ready?
Chicago Reoord-Herald.
H' said the Judge, "still cllng,to
the old belief that a parent has
9 the right to say whom his
child shall or shall not marry."
, "Ye-es," agreed Sir. Robards, slowly,
not wishing, for certain private rea
sons, to give an unqualified assent,
and yet too well acquainted with the
Judge to think of open disagreement.
"Now," continued the elder man,
.ponderously, "Sarah, Martha and Con
stance all married to please' me.
Dorothy, ' although she is 25, Is yet
unmarried, but I have reason to be
lieve that she is not altogether ndlf-,
f erent to the attentions now being paid
to her by Mr. Winthrop, a man who
meets with my hearty approval, a man
of wealth, culture, refinement, and a
IF YOU ASK I SHALL TELL YOU." .
man of good character. You know Mr.
Winthrop, William?"
"Ye-es, I believe I have met him." '
"He was formerly one of my clients,
but that was before you came into the
office. He is a very worthy man."
"And you say Miss Dorothy is In
clined to er favor his suit?"
"I believe she is not indifferent to
him, but, of course, she Is discreet and
modest; perhaps, I may say, even
diffident She has always been a most
obedient child, and I always given her
to understand that Mr. Winthrop is
my choice. She will accept him when
the time comes, .and he will make her
a most excellent husband. Ah! there
she is now just starting off for a walk.
Dorothyl Dorothy! Take William with
you. I am sure he would rather walk
with you than sit here with me."
Miss Dorothy drew pensively near,
looking very pretty. She answered
very demurely, her father thought
shyly. t
"If Mr. Robards wishes to come I
am sure I shall be glad of his com
pany." - :
Mr. Robards expressed himself as
very willing, and the two set off to
gether. He was a Junior partner 4n
Judge Lawrence's office, but he was
ten years older than Miss Lawrence.
For several years now the judge had
made him his guest for a fortnight at
his summer residence, and in the city
the Judge's wife had been socially
gracious to him when she needed one
more man at her dinner table.
"Year father was Just telling me his
views on the rights of parents," he ob
served meditatively after they had
walked some distance in silence and
bad lost themselves In the shrubbery.
"Yes? Father Is very conservative
In many things."
"So I should Judge. So I know, In
111 OLD-FASHIONED FATHER
SCHOOL OPENS
'i
Chicago Tribune.
fact, in business matters, but I was
not aware that he was quite so con
servative as his remarks seemed to Im
ply In domestic affairs."
''Will you tell me Just what he said
to you, Mr. RoDards "
She looked at him gravely. There
was certainly earnestness, almost en
treaty, In her tones.
"I am not sure that it would be
quite right for me to do so."
"If you think It wrong, of course do
not tell me, but you will permit me
to guess?"
"Oh, of course."
. "He told you that he chose the hus
bands ftfr my three sisters?"
"Yes; Was it not so?"
'"Yes, It was. He did choose them.
They married the men that he picked
out for them, andI cannot' In "Justice '
say that the result was In any case
unhappy," but I think the principle is '
wrong." -'" ,-,! t.K,v3?'"'':
"You think you shpulcf choose for,
yourself.? ., 5 ., . 1
, "I think I should cljoose'for myself. .
Did father tell you that I was going
to marry Mr. Winthrop?" ;
"He eild that he believed that you
were not Indifferent to Mr.wtfhthrop's
attentions; that ne naa.-given you to
understand that Mr. Winthrop was hK
choice, and that he had no reason' to
think that you -would disregard" his
wishes In the matter." "','
."I am not going to marry Mr. Win
throp." ' ,;' I
"I beg pardon!" , C '
''I am not going to marry Mr. Win
throp. I have never disobeyed my
father In my life, but I am not going
to marry Mr. Winthrop."
William Robards had made up. his
mind more than a year before that he"
loved Dorothy Lawrence. A man well
practiced in the concealment of emo
tion, he was perfectly convinced that
she had not suspected his passion.
He was aware that the world, in
cluding Judge and Mrs. Lawrence,
would not consider blm a suitable
match for Dorothy, but he had deter-,
mined to make an attempt to win her,
nevertheless, for he believed In his
own heart that he could make her just
as happy as If he had the wealth and
the social position requisite to his
eligibility in the eyes of the world.
When the Judge had spoken of Mr.
Winthrop he had been greatly dis
turbed;, now for a moment his heart
was lightened by Dorothy's deter
mined avowal, but in a moment it
sank again, for the thought came to
him that the reason she so positively
refused to marry Mr. Winthrop was
that she loved someone else.' The
thought made him cold, but his face
was gravely impassive.
"Would not Mr. Winthrop make a
suitable husband?" ,
"It is not that. I do not love him."
"You believe In love, then?," .
She looked at him seriously, re
proachfully. v
"I do not believe only; I know. Bat
Mr. Robards, you you; believe, too?
You are not the kind of a man to treat
such things lightly. Tell me, am I not
right? Do you not also believe In
love?"
"I believe," he answered solemnly,'
and then more softly, "I, too, know."
She bit her Up, seeming to check
some ill-advised speech; then, point
ing to a rustic seat under some willows
that bordered the path, said:
"Let us sit down."
They were silent for a long time.
"Dorothy," he began, "I must toll
IN THE FAR EAST.
you something. I am afraid It will
sound fi. little strange 'after all this,
but I must tell you all the same. I
think it is best that you should know,
and after I have told you I shall go
away and shall not trouble you again."
"Trouble me," she murmured.
"Yes. I am afraid that what I have
to say must trouble you more or less.
It Is a very simple thing, though, after
all, and a very few words will express
It Dorothy, I love you."
She seemed genuinely - distressed.
The man had spoken very quietly. His
voice and his face were under perfect
control. ' ' ' '
"Now, I shall go," he added. - V
"But why " she stammered. ,
"You have told me1 that is, you have
implied that your affections are fixed
already on someone so firmly that you
will risk disobeying your father."
j' Yes, they are."
"In that case should I not go away?"
1 "No, you should not."
"But: why?" T .
' "I have not yet told you on whom
my affections are fixed." ," .
"I have no right to ask. But, of
course, If for any reason you think it
would ,be well to tell me "
A'fyou ask I shall tell you.'! t
A "Well, Who Is it, then?"- ;- i
She leaned over and whispered in hln
ear very softly :
. "It la William Robards."
vDbrothy!"
' "Oh, Will, don't! You are so im
petuous!" .; " -.
, "I I, think I am rather slow."
Some' time afterward Mr. Robards
and Dorothy marched u& to the judge,
where" he was dozing over a book on
the porch, and after they had made
him aware of their presence Mr. .Ro
bards said very firmly. ,
"Dorothy and I have come to tell
you, sir that we are going to be mar
ried." "Why, God bless my soul, William!"
exclaimed the judge. "You! Why, I'd
sooner have you than Winthrop."
Boston Globe.
SCHOOLHOUSE IN PORTO RICO.
The structure herewith Illustrated is
one of the old-fashioned schoolhouses
formerly erected in Porto Rlco. Al
though the educational commission is
building many schools of the modern
American pattern a number of houses
of the oldtype still remain. The roof
is of tile so loosely Jointed that dur
ing one of the sudden downpours so
frequent in the tropics the floor has to
be covered with vessels to catch the
flood. The windows are without glass,
but are protected by wooden shutters.
These must be closed during a shower,
and darkness prevails within. The
American schoolteacher meets the dif
ficulty by calling upon the children to
sing. f .
It takes a lot of philosophy to enable
& man to admire a woman after he
discovers that she has no earthly use
for him.
Good, Simple liar Stacker.
An Iowa farmer writes that in his
part of the country, where a large
amount of hay Is raised, but few farm
era have barn ' room enough to
hold it, so are compelled to stack it
In stacking hay out of, doors some
loss Is unavoidable, but an effort
should be made to reduce this loss to
the' minimum. One of the greatest
mistakes is making the stack too
small. The smaller the stack is, the
larger the proportion of hay Is spoil
ed by being on the top, bottom or
sides. In , making a large stack, a
stacker of some kind Iff a necessity,
and the one illustrated here seems to
be best all-around device for the pur
pose. The device stands straddle of
the stack and is held in place by brace
iropes. The hay rope runs through a
SIMPLB HAT STACKER.
pulley in the cross-piece. Drive the
load of hay up to one end of the stack
to unload. After you have tried this
method, says the farmer correspond
ent, you will never stack another load
of hay by hand.
Capacltof Well.
A ready rule for arriving approxi
mately at the number of gallons per
foot of water: From the square of
the bottom diameter of the well, in
inches, cut off one figure and divide
by three. Thus: If the well is sixty
inches in diameter, 00x00 equals 8,000;
cut off one figure it eaves 300. i-Thlsi
divided by three gives 120, which is
the number of, gallons for each foot of
depth. If, therefore, the depth of wa
ter were found to be ton feet the
available supply in -the well would be
1,200 gallons. As the bottom diame
ter .of a well is sometimes less than
the top diameter, care must betaken,
in ascertaining the volume, as above,
to adopt, for the purpose of calcula
tor, the diameter of .the partwhere
the water is: A lighted candle lower
ed down the Veil will serve to show
anyl breaks of diameter above water-
level. American Cultivator. '. V
.-. t
' Handles for large Basket.
To make handles for bushel baskets,
save1 the hand pieces of all the worn-
out water buckets, or else make others
like them, and passing a wire through,
bend it down at right angles, to the
hand piece. Clipping the "wire off "at
HANDLES FOR BASKETS.
a proper length which is about 6 or
7 inches, bend the ends up into hoops.
Taking two of these handles hoop
them in between the splits, under the
rim of the basket, on opposite sides,
and quickly have two good handles for
carrying a basket filled with potatoes,
or any heavy article. The handles
can remain on the basket, or be re
moved at will. .
Cooling the Milk.
In summer the full milk cans should
be set out In cold water. If the water
is not cold enough a clean cteth, with
its lower end dipping Into the water,
should be wound lightly round the can.
On no account shoujd milk Intended
for a creamery be kept at the farm for
more than twelve hours.
A New Fruit, i ".
The boHe of the' ball Just now (hor
tlculturally speaking) ' is the peach
tomato! This lovely fruit-vegetable
is of a glowing deep watermelon-red
color. It is exhibited by a fruiter in
the shape of one fine cluster. On this
cluster are eight fine examples, all
clustered thickly together and beauti
fied by means of laurel leaves. ' One
of the clusters is yet a deep red.
They are said to be of an exquisite-
flavor ond to contain few seeds.
FIR
When the Cow Choker
A neighbor turned his cows Into hit
orchard with mien apples, one cow
became badly choked with an apple.
We took a piece of rubber hose three
feet long, rather stiff; we greased this
with lard, held the cow's head up
and shoved the hose down her throat,,
pushing the apple down in the stom
ach. A piece of rubber abojt lVa
inches in diameter is the proper sice.
Cow all right. Another plan I have
tried with good success. Soon as the
cow Is choked lose no time In getting
her into the stanchion, draw the head
up with a rope and fasten. Melt one
pint lard, put in a' long-nocked bottle;
while warm pour down throat. She
will struggle to throw lard out; the
throat being well greasod will caue
the apple or potato to slip out easily.
Exchange.
Cows for the Dairy. ,
Before the dnlryman can be suecss
ful in either branch he must draw the
line between the breeds that excel in
yield of milk and those that give milk
rich in cream. The first thing the
scientific dairyman docs Is to select
thebreed for tho purpose ho may have
In view. The next will be to feed in
such a manner as to secure the larg
est yield of either milk or butter In
proportion to the cost of food, and the
cost of the food depends .upon its
adaptability for convention t Into the
ingredients entering into the compo
sition of milk.
One Man Crowcnt Baw. ,
Most crosscut saws are made with
two handles jiud are iutcndod to be
use Dy two men,. Dut it is rrequonuy
deslrabre on the farm to have the saw
M i . . , . , i
uvtuiauie ror use ay . a single man.
Logs to be sawed may be too largo
for tho bucksaw, and a sharp one
man crosscut will ' saw almost if not
fully as fast'as a bucksaw and with
out the back breaking effect In any
event, whether a saw Is to be used by
one or two men, It Is an advantage,
says an Ohio Farmer writer, to have
one end of it furnished with a two
handed handle. Some small crosscuts
are made with such a" handle at one
end (Fig 1), but, if not, the ordinary
handle can be removed from any
broad bladed saw and a homemade
TWO-HAJfDED HANDLE ON CROSSCUT SAW
hfcnjjle inserted, ,(lg: 2). " In use, the
iawyer, wilj,'of course hqld the main
stem -with js jeftthand while with
his right bje. wlfl grasp, the. lower and
forkedpaft of the handle. He will be
surprised, at'rliis increased, .command
over the, working of the implement
, The Barnyard, i
Thereis nothing, so repulsive as a
wet and filthy barnyard, In which the
animals are .compelled, to walk knee
deep'm filth. Such" a condition is not
necessary, .and can be - prevented if
the barnyard is kept well ! supplied
with absorbent ' material. ' Throwing
whole cornstalks into the barnyard is
the old method, but cornstalks do not
absorb until they are trampled to
pieces,' and in the meantime much of
the liquids are carried ff by the
rains. It will pay to shred the corn
stalks or cut the straw for bedding,
while , leaves and dry earth may also
be used In the barnyard with advant
age. - i '
Feeding Hena.
Hens like a variety of food, and
they should be given as much In that
line as possible. On the off mornings
give a feed of equal parts corn "and
oatmeal, wet with milk, or boiled tur
nips or potatoes mixed with a little
wheat bran. All scraps from the tabla
and refuse from the kitchen should
be mixed with the morning feed. A
dally allowance of a small quantity of
meat, ground bone und oyster shells
should not be overlooked.
Inoculating- the Boll.
Any farmer can try the experiment
of inoculating the soil with the nec
essary bacteria for promoting the
growth of a' crop. Should the soil
seem unadapted to clover it will be
found of advantage to procure a few
bushels of earth from a field upon
which grew a luxuriant crop of, clover,
broadcasting the earth over, the field
and. seeding to clover, the possibility
being that a good stand of clover will
be obtained. ", :
Our bid and often recommended pre
ventive of lice in nests Is a big hand
ful of dry slaked lime in the bottom of
nest boxes. A little carbolic acid is '
put on the lime before it is slaked.
Every time the hen steps In that uest
she stirs up the carbolated lime dust
It is estimated that to collect one
pound of honey from .clover sixty-two
million heads of clover must be de
prived of nectar, and 3,T50,000 visits
from the bees must be made.
The roots of a tree are often as ex
tensive as its branches.
.mmi!W!fW,
i