Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1915 — Page 2

THE BOY FARMER

lOrdMemlier oFtne Com Club

' PROLOGUE. A plucky, wide awake, hustling American boy lakee a wornout and abandoned farm and gets busy with his head and his hands t? renew the fertility of the soil, make a scientific farmer es himself and capture prises as a member of the Boys ' Com club. What he did and how he did it form the plot of an up to date romance of real life that holds the interest from first chapter to last. CHAPTER i. A OTHER," said Sam Powell, I “let’s go back to tbe farm this year." A A -Well, I do say!*’ exclaimed Mrs. PowelU smiling. “What ever put that Dotion Into your bead. Sam? 1 'thought we’d bad enough of farming." Ram Powell and his mother and a a year younger than Sain lived on tiie outskirts of town and made a scanty living from the sale of butter ■ml milk afforded by two cows and eggs and poultry produced on an acre lot. In addition to this income, the family also had the rent from a little farm of twenty acres, which was situ a ted four miles from town. The amount of the rent, however, was so «nmli as to be hardly worth mentioning. Tear after year the land became poorer, and slothful and ignorant tenants let the weeds take the crops. Sam was sixteen, and be and his sister, Florence, attended the public school in town. Their father had been dead four years. Before that time tbe family had lived on the farm Just men tioned. But Mr. Powell had been no more successful than his neighbors or the tenants. Not that he hadn’t worked hard, for there had been no harder worker in the community than Edward Powell. But something was hrHng He had been unsuccessful and the family had suffered many privations and hardships.

At first the area of the farm had been 160 acres, but aa the farmer got deeper and deeper In debt he sold It off, a piece at a time, till there were left only the boose unfl twenty acres. Considering that there was no possibility of m«Mng a living on this amount of groond, Mr. Powell would have sold it •lao bad he been able to find a buyer. No buyer being at hand, though, the disheartened farmer moved his family to town and left it. Two months later be wtid- stricken, with fever and died. Then the struggle for a living fell on Mrs. Powell and the two children, for Ram and Florence were large enough to be of much help to their mother. So it was with much surprise that Uia Powell heard * Sam express the wish to go back to the farm. They lived hard now. It is true, but then U bad been worse. Her own memories of their days on the farm were any tilting but pleasant and she knew that Sum had not forgotten. Much as she. liked stock and growing things, she didn’t want to go back to that life again.' It was Saturday afternoon, and Sam bad Just come in from town. His eyes were bright with the new idea he bad o to mind. "It’s this way, mother.” said Sam. replying to Mrs. Powell’s question and comment. “Since I've been going to high school I’ve learned a whole lot of new things about farming. They are not new things, either—just the sim pleat facts about agriculture. Our teacher says they are the A B C's of ttu> business, but 1 never heard of them till our class began studying "The Elements of Agriculture.’”

‘That’s what they call book farming. Sam,” said Mrs. Powell, “and how farmers would laugh at you if they beard you talking about it” “Some farmers might but not all of them,” Sam replied. “Bill Googe and Miles Fagan would, because they don't know anything about it That's just bow it is, mother. The ones that make fan of scientific fanning don’t know what they’re talking about” “Well, Miles Fagan is a hard work er, and so was your father. I don’t beitere anybody ever worked harder or could do more than them two.” “If* not all in bard work, though. Th« main thing is in knowing how to work. We are just now learning how Some don’t know bow yet and won't try to learn. It wasn't father's fanlt that be failed, because no one knew anything about the new farming then Bat that's why father failed, and Fa . gan Is; farming Just like father did. He’s got the chance to learn better, bat won’t do it. Bill Googe won’t work much, of coarse, bat he’d do a lot letter If I le tried the new way.** this new way? I thought ***H*bßia take a long time to explain It aJL“saldSain, "but it mostly de

By ASA PATRICK

pends on what kind of soil you have, how you plow It and how you plant and cultivate your crops.” “Did you learn ail (his out of the book on fanning?” asked Mrs. Powell “Well, I’ve learned a good deal from the book.” Sam explained, "but not all 1 koow. Tbe government has appointed an agent for this county, and be is going to spend part of his time here next year instructing the farmers and the boys. I heard him make two talks downtown. He's anxious for me to go out on our little place this year. He says nearly everybody out in that neighborhood is like Bill Googe and Miles Fagan, and he wants me to show them a thing or two. He says he’ll help in every way he can.” “I do like the country," said Mrs. Powell, “and 1 would like to go back on the old place, but the land’s worn out, and I’m afraid we’ll make a failure.” “Well, a failure couldn’t hurt us much, mother,” said Sam. “It's all to gain and nothing to lose. Rut we won’t fail. That land Is not worn out If I can’t fix it so that it raises twice as much to the acre as any farm around there, then we’ll move back to town and I’ll never say another word about farming.”^ “But we have no team,” objected Mrs. Powell, “and wbat would we do for supplies?” “I’ll get Bill Googe to break the land. I won’t need a team for anything else. The old tools father had will do, and tbe horse and spring wagon we have will be all right for whnt hauling there is. The pasture will save a lot of feed for the cows, aiid I think we can fix it so as to keep our milk and butter customers. I’ve already seen about the supplies. Mr. Wilson said that he’d let me have groceries and seed or anything I have to have on credit.” “I’m afraid your mind is too change able, Sam," said bis mother. “Yon know you’ve been talking of being a merchant. Have you changed your mind abont that?” “Yes, I have, mother. You see, '1 knew what farming in the old way was like, and I didn't know there was any other way. 1 thought it wouki always be like it has been, and 1 didn’t want any more of it in mine. That’s why I thought abont being a merchant. But things have changed. People are learning a new way to farm, and it's going to be the freest and surest paying business there Is.” “Well, then.” Mrs. Powell agreed at. last, “we’ll try it one year.” “Good!" exclaimed Sam', delighted. “You Just watch me get busy. I’m going out to the farm next Saturday.” The next week wasau impatient one for Sam. He told bis teachet and a few friends about his plans, and the

“That’s what they call book farming, Sam."

latter were much interested. Some said that they would like to go to the country themselves. “Well, you can come out to see me when you have time,” Sara told them “That won’t be like living there, but it will be a change." “I’ll be there for one,” exclaimed Joe Watson. “I for another,” said Andrew White. “No use for me to tell you, Sam.’ Fred Martin added. “I’ll come.” “Of course.” Sam explained, “it may be so sometimes that i can’t show yon a good time. I’ll be pretty busy, but you ’know you can make free around

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND.

me. I cun always tell you where tht good fishing holes are in the creek and where the wild blackberry patch is located. I guess you cau make out if i do that. If 1 tell you where tbe watermelons are you wouldn’t have to have me along to show y*u what to do to them, would you?” “Not ou your life!” they all exclaimed at once and ldugbed. “Won’t that be flue?” said Joe Watson, bis mouth watering at the thought of tbe berries and the melons. “Say, though. Sam," Fred Martlq spoke up suddenly, “you don’t think we’re going to come out there and loaf a round and have a good time while you are at work, do you?” “Well. I don’t see anything wrong in it” “Maybe not, but we’ll not do that way, just tbe same. I’ll tell you what we’ll do. Any time that you have work on band when we come out we’ll beip you out so that you can take a half day off.” “That’s tbe idea,” seconded Andrew. “If we come out Saturday morning, say. and work till noon you could take tbe afternoon off. couldn’t you?" "Well, 1 should think I could,” said Sam. “But I wouldn’t like to have you work for me for nothing.” “Oh. don’t worry,” said Joe •We’ll get paid, We’ll take it out in wilier melons.” “1 didn’t know that yon liked to work so well,” said Sam. "You Bright os well go out with me next Saturday We’re not going to move until next spring, but 1 must mend the fences and get the ground in shape” “Sure, we’ll go,” they all said “Where’ll we find you and what time shall we start?” “I’ll be at home,” Sam told them. “Come about 7 o’clock, and we’ll drive out in the spring wagon.” Before Saturday came round Sam could not refrain from hunting up his new friend, the government agent, to tell him that tie was going out on tbe little farm for that year at least. The agent, Mr. Burns, was delighted at the news. “Well,” he said, “I’m glad to hear that. Miles Fagan is, as they say, from Missouri. He must be shown. It’s just a waste of breath to talk to him. He won’t listen to anything. I tried to get him to plant just one acre and cultivate it according to our methods. But he said he didn’t have time for any such foolishness. He’d been farming long enough, he said, to know something about It “1 tried to persuade Mm to allow his son. Bob, to join the Boys’ Corn club and plant an acre of corn to be cultivated under my direction. But he wouldn’t do that either, and, in fact he talked rather insultingly to me. Of course if it was Just himself that was concerned 1 wouldn’t bother any more with him. A man like that doesn’t deserve much. But we caa’t afford to resent such talk from anybody, Sam. We just consider that it is because he doesn’t understand and let it go. Besides, it’s the welfare of the whole country that we are looking after. We want to make better farmers out of tbe boys. We want Bob Fagan to be a more successful farmer tban bis father has been, and, yon see, we can’t do that without convincing his father so that hfe will let us teach Bob. “Now, your farm and Fagan’s Join, don’t they ?” “Yes, sir,” Sam replied; “there’s just a fence between bis field and ours.” ‘‘Do you know what he is going to plant next to your field?” “Oh, yes. He always plants corn there. Hasn’t had anything else there for five years.” “The very thing!” exclaimed Mr. Burns. “Now, 1 want you to come down to the courthouse next Monday morning. We are going to have*% meeting of the Boys’ Corn club then, and I want you to join. You know, there is S6OO to be given in prizes in this county. There is a chance for you to win about $250 on a contest acre of corn.”

“That is a whole lot of money,” said Sam, “and I am going to try hard to win the first prize, though my land is pretty well run down.” “You can fix that all right,” Mr. Burns assured him. “Of course you may not get the whole field as well fertilized as it should be, but ypu can get the acre Tor corn in good condition. And I wantyou to lay off that acre just across the fence from Fagan’s. We’ll certainly show him something this year about growing corn-" “That’s the poorest land on the place,” said Sam. >' “Sq much the better,” Mr. Burns assured him. “Fagan can’t say then that your- crop is due to better land.” “Oh. no. he can’t say that, for his land is much richer than pine! Mine has been neglected so long! I'll sure have to. go to work on it if I’m going to make a good showing this year.” “Yes, that's right Get it fertilized and plowed deep as soon as you can. This is January. It should have been plowed three months ago. How much land have you?” ‘Twenty acres, but five of it are in pasture. I’m going to hire a man to plow the field, as I have only one horse.” “That would be best,” said Mr. Burns, “but you must keep an account of all the work done on the contest acre, for you know It will have to be figured to on the cost of the corn.” “I’ll do that.” Sam agreed. “In fact. I’m going to keep books on everything -?crops and stock too 1 want to know when I make or lose.” “You’re bn the right track,” Mr. Burns replied. “It is just as necessary to keep books on the farm as it is in any other business, fpr farming is a business, Sam* and a good bnsl ness, too, if you do it to a businesslike way.” . . —r—

**l know that what ySa say is true. Mr. Burns,” Sam declared. “I don’t know very much about fanning yet but I’m going to learn. I want J' f >u ty give me a list of books to read and study on the subject. 1 * “Well, the first thing for you to do,” suggested the agent, “is to send to the state and national departments of agriculture for all the bulletins about the crops you are going to grow. You , will be surprised at the number of them and at the information in them. Here

“You’re on the right track.”

are the addresses and the names of some books for you to get. 1 ’ “Thank you,” said Sam. “and now I must be going. Bill Googe is to be in town today, and I want to see him about the plowing. Goodby until Monday. I’ll see you at the meeting.” CHAPTER 11. I SAM found Bill Googe sitting on a box whittling. “Hello, Bill!” said Sam. “Not working these days?” “No; you bet 1 ain’t,” answered Bill. "I git enough o' that durin’ crop time.” “Well, what do you And around here?” asked Sam. “1 never come to town except on business.” “For one thing,” Bill replied. “I’m here tryin’ to make some kind of arrangements for supplies this year. Didn’t make enough to quite settle up with old Jim Anderson, and he’s cut me off. Lots o’ times, though, us fellers come to town to git together and talk over our troubles. Misery loves comp’ny, you know, Sam. And sometimes we chip in and send off for a gallon of Old Crow. When a man gits a few swigs o’ that under his belt, Sam, he Jes' forgits all about bein’ so doggßne poor and ornery.” “Yes,” said Sam, “and he makes a fool of himself and wastes his money, and after it’s over with he feels worse and is poorer than he was before.” Bill Googe was a peculiar kind of fellow. He was almost always in a good humor, and you could hardly" say anything to make him mad. But he didn’t like to work. According to Bill, it was always too wet or too dry. He spent most of his time fishing and hunting, and he was a fine companion to have along on such a trip. He could tell you morg funny stories than you could possibly remember. In the locality where he lived there was rarely any lack of rain, but Bill would often sit down on a log and picture in glowing colors what he’d do if he was “fixed to irrigate.” -

Bill had at one time owned the farm on which he now lived. But he got the fever “to go west.” At last he found a man to buy him out, and he departed for the land where a man could live without working. He was gone about a year and came back “broke” and went on the farm he had left as a renter. All during the sunny days when the grass and weeds were flourishing and choking out the crops pot a glimpse could you catch of Bill in the field, but you could hear the deep mouthed bay of his hound. Trailer, and the sullen boom of his muzzle loader off in the woods along the creek. Bill chuckled at Sam’s remark. “But let that go,” Sam continued. “I didn’t come down here to preach. What I want to know is this: Will you plow my field for me some time soon?” “What!” exclaimed BilL “You ain’t thinkin’ of goto’ back on that clay pile, air ye?” * \ “Yes; that’s what I’m going to do.” you’re crazier than I thought you was. Wish I was away from out there; you wouldn't ketch me goto’ back. How do you think you’re goto’ to make a livin’ on that farm?” “I’m going to make it off the land, of course." /, “Don’t you git no slch fool idea into your head.” Bill exclaimed with conviction. “Why, boy, that land won’t sprout peas.” “Its going to do it anyway,” replied Sim. “And. more’n that, it’s going to grow ’em after they’re sprouted. And, besides that, it’s going to raise some of tbe finest corn and cotton to this county." “You’ll never do it,” Bill asserted. “I know that land. Yoa can’t rates a disturbance on it.” ♦ “Hook here. Bill." said Sam. “you’ve been on the farm a long time, and *1

guess you've learned" some things a boat the business, but one thing is certain; you don’t know how to farm, and the proof of it is that you don’t raise good croia." x . “Ain’t nobody goin’ to raise good crops when -it’s too dry or too wet. You got to have things right.” “No; that’s not the trouble. Good crops can be raised with the seasons just as they are. don’t know much about fanning, but I’m going to show you how to do the trick better than it’s been done In the neighborhood.” “Where’d you learn so much. I’d like to know?” Bill Inquired in an amused tone. . “I learned it from books and from men that know how to farm.” Bill Googe slapped his thigh and laughed merrily. “Gee. but that’s a good one!” he said. “I wish Miles Fagan could hear that.” “He’ll hear me say it, all right,” Sam . replied. “But I’m not going to argue with you fellows. I’m going to prove it. And, now, what about that plowing? You didn’t tell me whether you’d do it.” “Sure I’ll do tt. I ain’t got nothin’ else to do.” “I thought maybe you’d want to do your own plowing.” “No. I never fool with that till spring. I believe in lettln’ the land rest. Sometimes I don’t plow it at all —jes’ streak it off and plant it” “Well, I want this land plowed deep, and when I say deep I mean deep. How much will you charge to do the work that way?” “Let me see. You want the whole field plowed?” “Yes, all of It’’ “Well, that stumpy acre will be pretty knotty.” “Don’t figure on that I’m going to have the stumps out I heard father say that a man couldn’t be religious and cultivate a stumpy field. I believe he was pretty near right A fellow’s going to blow them out for me with dynamite.” “Blojv ’em out with dynamite! By jacks, I didn’t think there was no way to git up a stump except to break your back and grub it up. Would S2O be too much for that work, Sam 7” “No. I’m willing to pay that I’ll let you know as soon as I’ve got the land ready for you to go to work. What’ll you take for the manure in your lot?” ' , ~ “Oh, you won’t find much there, 1 reckon. You can have it if you’ll haul it off.” “All right Til be after it” Sam left Bill Googe and went down to see the owner of a livery stable. “Want to hire somebody to haul that manure off?” asked Sam, pointing to a large pile that had been raked up at the back of the stable. “Well, don’t know exactly,” said the man, figuring to drive a bargain. “If you’ll do it reasonable I might make a deal with you. How much a load will you haul it for?” “I’m going to school,” Sam told him, “and don’t have any time except afternoons after school, but if you’ll let me do the work along as I have time. I’ll haul it for 25 cents a load.” “Well, I’ll just take you on that, bud. I’ve been paying 50 cents and it’s too much. I don’t care when you haul it, Just so as you keep the most of it out. of the way.” “All right,” said Sam. “I’ll be after a load tomorrow afternoon and another next Monday.** Sam Powell hurried home, delighted with his arrangements. He greased.

He Greased the One Horse Wagon.

the one horse wagon, mended the harness and got everything in readiness sor 1 work. That night he told his mother and sister about his plans. “That land is mighty poor.” he said, “but I’m going to make it grow something. I’ll get 25 cents a load for banting manure from a stable downtown, and I’m going to put every load of it on our farm. I’ll tell you bow I’m going to manage it. I'll go down and load op one evening and drive home with it; then the next evening I’ll haul it to the farm. That'll be three loads a week from town, and on Saturdays HI haul manure from Bill Googe’s or ashes from the ghu" “I didn’t know ashes were good for land,” said Mrs. PowelL —— —fro bar Continued.) »

FIRST PRIMARY BILL DEFEATED; ANOTHER

Democrats Are Trying Hard to Oet Measure in Shape That Will Secure Passage. Urged by Governor Ralston and Senator Kern the democratic leaders of the state are making a heroic effort to pass a direct primary law. The Rinear and Jones measures have failed and now Senator Van Nuys has introduced a measure that is to come up at'once. Van Nuys opposed the other measures and it is hoped by thq democrats to find favor with his bill, which will probably be amended to have some resemblance to the defeated measures. Governor Ralston will probably devote sopie time to urging the passage of the bill. Thomas Taggatr is opposed to it. The party platform declared for it and democrats are saying that to go back on the platform is to breed distrust, dissatisfaction and defeat. The San Francisco exposition, opens tomorow. Eighty thousand exhibits are ready afte years of hard labor. Probably you are planning to see them before the yea is over. The United States is in need of more modem coast defenses according to Secretary of War Garrison and he has asked that artillery be supplied that will shoot 20,1100 yards. Our present guns will not carry as far as the large guns on the ships of the war vessels of foreign countries.

Colds Are Often Most Serious. Stop Possible Complications.

The disregard of a cold has often brought many a regret. The fact of sneezing, coughing, or a fever should he warning enough that your system needs immediate attention. Certainly loss of sleep is most serious. It is a warning given by nature. It is man’s duty to himself to assist by doing his part. Dr. King’s New Discovery is based on a scientific analysis of colds. 50c at your druggist. Buy a bottle today. 3

Now’s the time to sell the things you don’t need. A Republican classified ad will turn the trick. Call us as Phone 18. BIG PUBLIC SALE. The undersigned, having rented his farm, will offer at poiblic auction at said farm, 2 3-4 miles south and 1 mile west of Rensselaer, commencing at 10 a. m. on MONDAY, FEB. 22, 1915, 13 Head Horses and Mules —l sorTel mare 7 years wt 1450; bay mare 8 years wt 1400; 1 grey mare 7 years wt 1250; 1 bay horse 4 years wt 1200; 1 bay mare 7 years wt 1200; 1 grey horse 11 years wt 1200; 1 hay horse 11 years wt 1200; 1 black horse 3 years wt 1100; 1 bay colt coming 3, roadster bred, wt 800 ; 2 black horses coming 6, wt 1450 each; 2 black mules 5 years wt 2400. 35 Head Cattle— l 2 good milch cows, 2 with calves by side, others fresh later; 6 steers coming 2; 7 heifers coming 2; 6 coming yearlings; 1 good 2-year old Durham hull. 7 Head Hogs —l nearly full blood Du roc brood sow, an extra go »d one, will farrow about April 1; 6 Photos .wt about 100 lbs each. 10 to 15 acres shock corn; some oats straw; 1.000 to 1,100 bushels “Fourth of July” seed corn; 400 /bushels late seed oats, all clean and nice.

Implements, Etc.— One Kentucky wheat drill, new, a good one; manure spreader; gang plow, 14 inch; walking, 2 riding cultivators; 2 Tower gophers; new Section wood harrow; steel land roller; Milwaukee'binder; 3 farm wagons, 1 almost brand new, triple boxes, wide tires; 2 buggies, one a top buggy, brand new one a runabout; 3 sets work harness, one brand new; new patent feed rack;, feed troughs, etc. Terms —slo and under cash; on sums over $lO a credit of 10 months will be given, with 6 per cent interest from date if paid when due; if not so paid 8 per cent from date; 2 per cent off for cash; no property to be removed until terms are complied with. WiM. L HOOVER, Ex-Sheriff Jasper County. Cols. J. G. Culp and W. A. McCurtain, Aucts. • C- G. Spitler, Clerk. Gus Grant, hot lunch. PUBLIC SALE.' The undersigned, Administrator of the estate of Julia Ann Spriggs, by order oi the Jasper Circuit court directing him to sell at public auction the goods and chattels of said deceased, will offer at public sale, at the Joel F. Spriggs farm in Walker Township, Jasper County, Indiana, on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, the following described property, to-wit: 1 mare and colt, one Jersey cow and calf, corn, oats, farming utensils, household .goods, etc. Terms ol Sale—All amounts of $5 or under cash; on amounts over $5 a time of 9 months will be given, purchaser to execute bankable note , with 6 per cent interest from date and S per cent after matuirty. SEMOF m. SPRIGGS, Administrator. C. H. Guild, Clerk. J. F. Pettet, Auctioneer.