Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 63, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 March 1915 — THE BOY FARMER [ARTICLE]

THE BOY FARMER

|or a Monitor of dio CoraClut

By ASA PATRICK

Oepyriflht, 1918, by Arsjjrloan Pres. Association.

CHAPTER VIII. EVERY member of the Boys’ Coni club In the county was present at the meeting. There were many others also, including fanners, merchants and bankers. It was a jolly crowd that gathered to getber that morning. Every one had his joke and hia laugh. The noise nev er ceased for a moment until the club was called to order and Mr. Burns stepped up on the rostrum to make a few before the awarding of the prizes began. *1 want to say,” he began, smiling, ♦♦that I am very proud that this county is In my district When I tell yon why, boys, you’ll be proud also.” A stillness settled over the crowd, and the boys listened eagerly for the next words

“What I refer to,” continued Mr Burns, “is the fact that some boy of this county, some boy sitting here in this room, has won the state prize -a trip to Washington. Think of that, boys. One of your club has not only won the first prize for the county, but be has beat every other boy in the state. I wonder if any of you know who the winner is?” As be asked the question the agent allowed his eyes to wander about over the crowd of boys, as if he himself was trying to locate the lucky youth. The boys looked at each other and tried to guess the winner. But the agent left it to the committee to re veal the name. They didn’t have long to wait, however. Presently Mr. Burns sat down, and the chairman of the committee stood up to award the prizes. "Sam Powell will please come for ward,” he said. Sam could hardly realize that It was his name that had been called,' but be rose and went forward The chairman had him step up on the rostrum beside him, facing the assembly. The next words of the man caused the young farmer almost to faint “Sam Powell,”, he said, “1 wish to in form you that as a competitor tn the Boys’ Corn club you have won the first prize offered to the boy In this state who produced on one acre the largest amount of corn at the least cost This prize consists of SIOO In cash, to be used in paying the expenses of a trip to Washington. “Furthermore. 1 wish to inform you that you have won the first prize offered to the boy in this county who produced on one acre the best all round crop of corn, quality, quantity and cost considered. This prize consists of one registered Jersey cow.

“For your achievement In farming the state also presente you with this certificate of honor. It is signed by the governor and stamped with the great seal of the commonwealth. To win this certificate Is alone a distlnc don to be proud of.** | Holding the certificate in his hand. Sam went back to his seat It seemed almost too good to be true that he had won those first prizes. He was anx loua to get out and go home to tell the news. How proud his mother and sis ter would be! The awarding of the other prizes went on. but Sam, to tell the truth, was so busy thinking about the Jersey cow and the trip to Washington that he didn’t pay much attention to any thing else. There was hardly a member of the club, however, who did not win some prize besides the certificate of honor which was given to every boy who raised over fifty bushels of corn to the acre. After all the prizes had been awarted and the agent and two or three visitors had made short speeches, en couraglng the boys and urging them to begin that very day to prepare for the contest next year, Mr. Burns rose and; smiling, asked if any member of the club would like to saj anything. No one responded, but suddenly some one called out “Sam Powell I” Then from different parts of the house came the call:

“Sam Powell!” “Sam Powell!" “Sam Powell!” Sam flashed with the excitement and embarrassment of it He couldn't make a speech, he knew, but be had won first prize, and they wanted him to say something. He had thought of one or two things that he really did want to say to the boys, so when some one called his name again he rose from his seat “Members of the club and visitors,” he said, “you flatter me by calling on me for a speech. Speechmaking isn't much in the line of the Boys'. Corn club, but I do really wish that 1 could make a speech today. I’d like to talk a long time on farming and what we can do for ourselves by following It as a business. That’s what 1 think we ought to consider—ourselves. We want to improve our farms* but we want to Xe thinira and the moat imnortaut thins

I we ceoru is now to study. When we learn how to study we can keep on go lag to school without a teacher. Ard vneres so mnco to lemu iu Ovoka afia outdoors that we ought to keep, on learning and studying as long as we live. - “We’ve all done pretty well this year, but we can do better next and still bet ter the next. We are just beginning to see bow much land will produce. ‘Bet ter seed and better stock* must be our watchword ’Double the crop to the acre and halve the cost' must be our class yell I’m going to grow more and better corn to the acre next year and try to do It at less cost. We have raised some fine corn already, though, and we must send some of It to the county and state fairs. You men farmers had better look out; we boys an after you. Next year I’m going to try for the automobile in the national corn shew That's all 1 have to say, and I’d like to bear from some of the other boys "

Sam sat down while every one bouse cheered loudly. Mr. Burns remarked that the speech was a good one. It wasn’t long, he said, but it was to the point and said a great deal tn a very few words. He then called for others to say something, and two or three responded. After they had finished the meeting adjourned, and Sam rushed from the room to find out about his prizes. It happened that the banker who had offered the trip to Washington prize lived In the town, and Sam was Informed that the money was waiting for him whenever he was ready to start on the trip. The Jersey cow had been shipped from a distance and was also waiting Id a nearby stable for him to take possession of her. Sam was delighted when be saw the cow She was a perfect beauty -soft eyed and fawn col ored. She wore a halter, and the young farmer bought a short rope with which to lead her home. They were a much surprised and pleased mother and sister who came out when he drew up at the front gate with the cow following contentedly behind. Sam sat on the front seat, bold Ing the lines, nnd answered a rapid fire of questions “Yes. I won this Jersey cow and the trip to Washington." “My. but you can’t go clear-to Wash ington by yourself," said Mrs. Powell doubtfully.

“Pshaw! Of course 1 can! Lots of boys travel farther than that. Any way. I don’t expect I’ll have to take the trip myself. 11l find out in a day or two." “What are those papers you have?” asked Florence. J “Oh. that's my Jersey’s pedigree and some other papers This cow’s registered. and she’s worth over sloo.’’ “What are the other papers?” insist ed Florence. “Well, one is a certificate of honor from the state. It's signed by the gov ernor and stamped with the state seal.” “A certificate of honorf’ exclaimed Mrs. Powell. “My goodness! Did you get that for the acre of corn too?” “Yes’m,” replied Sam. “the whole lot. You see. mother, I was ahead of every boy in the state” When at last his sister and mother had exhausted the supply of questions the boy climbed from his seat and led the cow away to the pasture. Mrs. Powell didn’t like the idea of her son going on a journey to Washington, and Sam wanted to buy a pony for Florence more than to take the trip, so he decided to see the banker and find out if be might not use the money to buy a horse instead of going on a journey. “Why, don’t you want to take the trip?” asked the banker when he heard Sam’s proposal. _ _■ “Yes, sir, I’d like to go mighty well, but Td like to buy a horse with the money; and then mother doesn’t like me to go unless some one else is going along.” . “Have you ever traveled any?” “No, sir, not much.” Sam told the truth. He had never been fifty mites from home, and after the banker had asked him some more questions he decided that the boy needed the trip more than he did a horse. “No, I can’t let you use the money to buy a horse,” he told Sam. “but I’U

ceu you what you may do. It won’t take all the money for the trip, and -after you return, if you have saved' enough out of the SIOO, you may use it tor whatever you like As for your going alone, we can arrange that. Mr. Burns tells me that another boy Is going from another state out this way. and you can join him.” So it was arranged, and a week later Sam and the other boy who had won a state prize set out on their visit to the capital of the United States. They were both wanting to save as much money as possible, so they didn’tride tn the Pnltoan or take their meala. on the train. When they got sleepy they slept leaning back in their, seats.

..»«u i*»ey gor nungry cney oougm sandwiches for 15 cents each. When they arrived Id Washington they nad nyt spent more than $1 each above railroad faret- - it would take a long time to tell all about to the capital. But it was by far the most delightful and instructive visit he had ever made He and bis comrade were met by a pro fessor from the agricultural depart ment. and soon afterward they were introduced to nine other boys who bad just arrived These boys were win ners of state prizes also, each one being the best corn raiser in bis state. First they were taken to see the secretary of agriculture; then In a body they visited the president and afterward were shown all the wonderful rights of the capital. They visited con j r t awl Moun/- Vornnn. tbe home of OUDCai garoe/w wum, dered and fascinated with tbe thou sands of beautiful and strange plants When Sam returned home he bad £4O iei\ out oi <ne »ivu wfCu tms necohio buy a pony for Florence’s Christmas and not have to use tbe money that he had made from tbe crops. As for his mother, be bad already decided to give her his Jersey cow. * One day some time after be had re turned from his trip Sam sat on the doorstep with his account book and pencil. The year’s business was about over and he was figuring up bow much had been made on the little farm. “Mother.” he said at last. “1 paid the remainder of our debts today and I’ve just run up the accounts tt?-see how we stand. Our expenses were pretty heavy"this year, having to buy all the feed for stock, besides groceries and fertilizer and other expenses They amounted to over S3OO But everything’s paid, and 1 figure that we’ve made $1,200 clear.” “Surely you have made a mistake. Sam.” exclaimed Mrs Powell “We haven't made that much." “Well, you can figure it out for yourself. We’ve got S6OO of it in cash in tbe bank. The other S6OO is in stock and feed and supplies. Of course I am counting in the prizes 1 won, for they are really a part'of It 1 think we’ve really got over S6OO worth of stuff that we didn’t have when we moved. I just counted the most Important things—the chickens, the hogs, the cow, tbe corn, the hay and the potatoes You see, we’ve got over 400 bushel* of corn, and then the Jersey and the Plymouth Rocks and the Berkshires count up, for they are more valuable than common stock.”

“That’s doing just fine,” said his mother. “I’m so glad we came back here. We could just barely live in town.” “Yes, its a tolerably good beginning, mother. We can do much better. J think I’ll raise two bales of cotton to the acre next year. It has been done, and I know I can do anything that anybody else does.” Suddenly he jumped to his feet and gave a big whoop. His mother, star tied by the yell, came running to tbe door. “Look! Look!” shouted Sam as he danced about Mrs. Powell did look, and what she saw was big flakes of snow falling thick and fast TEE END.

Republican Meeting March 19th. Will H. Hays, chairman of the republican state committee, has issued a call for a meeting of the committeemen in Indianapolis, Friday, March 19th. Party organisation will .be discussed and the men lers will be entertained at a luncheon at the Columbia Club.

Democratic newspapers are publishing editorials to show that the prices paid the American fanner for wool have been as high since the new democratic tariff went into effect as they were before and contend that this is sure to continue to be the case in the future. Sheep owners usually anticipate the action of a, democratic administration and get out of the wool growing business and unless accompanied with statistics to show that the number of sheep was approximately as great as before the passage of the act the claim falls to the ground. If, however, the price of the wool was as high, the price of the labor as high in its manufacture, the manufacturer’s profit as great, and the profit to the wholesaler and retailer as much, the consumer would receive no advantage in price and again there would be ng adequate excuse for the removal of the tariff on the wool,and the consequent loss of revenues. There is on the whole a quite general conviction that the country is at this time suffering mainly from the effect of the democratic tariff and it will require more than the claim that wool prices have been maintained to make the average producer believe that it is a safe tiling to take chances with a low tariff when there- have been so many years of prosperity with a reasonably high tariff. -

J. Blaine Gwin, son of Mr, and Mrs. J. C. Gwin, of Paterson, N. J., is at the head of the associated charities of that city and during these trying times has a hard job of it. Many of the silk mills at Paterson are closed down and there is much more suffering than common. His parents recently returned home from a visit with him and say that he is very devoted to his work, notwithstanding its many perplexities. .

Miss Helen Leatherman continues about the same. her.fover increfising some every evening and going down, the followingday. Although she is mending very slowly the outlook for her recovery is very hopeful.