Hidden Treasure: The Story of a Chore Boy Who Made the Old Farm PaySimpson, John Thomas
Science
Hidden Treasure: The Story of a Chore Boy Who Made the Old Farm Pay
Simpson, John Thomas
Farm life
"I don't think we'll make it exactly a day of rest though," said the
banker, "for I notice your wheat is just about ready for cutting, Joe.
Why not use the tractor to draw your new binder instead of the team."
"I'll have to do that anyway, whether I want to or not," smiled Joe.
"How's that?" asked the banker.
"Well, we have two of the finest little Belgian colts you've ever
seen," he replied.
"Indeed!" exclaimed the banker. "They will be worth money to you."
"Yes," said Joe Williams, "those colts will easily bring from $150 to
$250 by next spring."
"Now, you can see why it pays to keep good stock, Joe," said the
banker. "No farmer should waste feed on horses that weigh less than
1600 pounds--from that on up to 2000 pounds is the coming horse in
this country. Look what a difference there is in their capacity for
work and a large horse really eats little more than a small scrub."
After some discussion it was decided that the County Commissioners
should be invited to the picnic, also a representative of the Portland
Cement Association, to tell them about the making of concrete roads,
and that Mr. Patterson, too, should be included in the invitation.
Shortly after moving to town, Bob's grandparents had gone for an
extended visit to their relatives and had just returned to their new
home a few days before the picnic, so on the morning of the Fourth,
the first to arrive at Brookside were his grandparents. Bob was not
only delighted to see them, but fully enjoyed their surprise at the
changed appearance of the farm. Of course, the loss of the barn was
one of the things that made the farm look different, but the neat wire
fence, with its self-opening gates at the main road, the new buildings
which were fast taking shape, and the replacing of the old pond with a
field of fine growing corn, all helped to give the farm a changed
look.
Bob's grandmother had evidently changed her mind regarding the son's
trip to the poorhouse. Her rest from farm labor and the long visit
among old friends had rekindled her interest in all things. She was as
eager as a child and listened keenly as Bob took them from building to
building and showed what had been done and explained the details and
new devices; also the other buildings that were contemplated. His
grandmother was delighted, most of all with the dairy and hen house.
"I tell you, Bob," she said, "you've certainly made the work light for
a woman on this farm, and I'm glad now that Joe has been able to put
in a modern farm equipment. I suppose the next thing you'll be doing
will be to put up a new house and barn."
"Oh, yes, we've arranged that already, grandmother," said Bob. "You
see, when the lightning struck the old barn we didn't have our plans
made or anything, so after John White and Uncle Joe talked it over
they decided to get Mr. Brady, the contractor, to help them out with
the buildings. It would have been a pretty big job for Tony and me to
get them all up this summer."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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