rudder grange-第13部分

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that　she　was　to　live　here；　and　that　he　was　to　take　care　of　her　and
never　bark　at　her。　　All　this　and　much　more；　delivered　in　the
earnest　and　confidential　tone　in　which　ladies　talk　to　infants　and
dumb　animals；　made　the　dog　think　that　he　was　to　be　let　loose　to
kill　the　cow；　and　he　bounded　and　leaped　with　delight；　tugging　at
his　chain　so　violently　that　Euphemia　became　a　little　frightened　and
left　him。　　This　dog　had　been　named　Lord　Edward；　at　the　earnest
solicitation　of　Pomona；　and　he　was　becoming　somewhat　reconciled　to
his　life　with　us。　　He　allowed　me　to　unchain　him　at　night　and　I
could　generally　chain　him　up　in　the　morning　without　trouble　if　I
had　a　good　big　plate　of　food　with　which　to　tempt　him　into　the　shed。

Before　supper　we　all　went　down　to　the　barn　to　see　the　milking。
Pomona；　who　knew　all　about　such　things；　having　been　on　a　farm　in
her　first　youth；　was　to　be　the　milkmaid。　　But　when　she　began
operations；　she　did　no　more　than　begin。　　Milk　as　industriously　as
she　might；　she　got　no　milk。

〃This　is　a　queer　cow；〃　said　Pomona。

〃Are　you　sure　that　you　know　how　to　milk？〃　asked　Euphemia　anxiously。

〃Can　I　milk？〃　said　Pomona。　　〃Why；　of　course；　ma'am。　　I've　seen　'em
milk　hundreds　of　times。〃

〃But　you　never　milked；　yourself？〃　I　remarked。

〃No；　sir；　but　I　know　just　how　it's　done。〃

That　might　be；　but　she　couldn't　do　it；　and　at　last　we　had　to　give
up　the　matter　in　despair；　and　leave　the　poor　cow　until　morning；
when　Pomona　was　to　go　for　a　man　who　occasionally　worked　on　the
place；　and　engage　him　to　come　and　milk　for　us。

That　night　as　we　were　going　to　bed　I　looked　out　of　the　window　at
the　barn　which　contained　the　cow；　and　was　astonished　to　see　that
there　was　a　light　inside　of　the　building。

〃What！〃　I　exclaimed。　　〃Can't　we　be　left　in　peaceful　possession　of　a
cow　for　a　single　night？〃　　And；　taking　my　revolver；　I　hurried　down…
stairs　and　out…of…doors；　forgetting　my　hat　in　my　haste。　　Euphemia
screamed　after　me　to　be　careful　and　keep　the　pistol　pointed　away
from　me。

I　whistled　for　the　dog　as　I　went　out；　but　to　my　surprise　he　did　not
answer。

〃Has　he　been　killed？〃　I　thought；　and；　for　a　moment；　I　wished　that　I
was　a　large　family　of　brothersall　armed。

But　on　my　way　to　the　barn　I　met　a　person　approaching　with　a　lantern
and　a　dog。　　It　was　Pomona；　and　she　had　a　milk…pail　on　her　arm。

〃See　here；　sir；〃　she　said；　〃it's　mor'n　half　full。　　I　just　made　up
my　mind　that　I'd　learn　to　milkif　it　took　me　all　night。　　I　didn't
go　to　bed　at　all；　and　I've　been　at　the　barn　fur　an　hour。　　And　there
ain't　no　need　of　my　goin'　after　no　man　in　the　mornin'；〃　said　she；
hanging　up　the　barn　key　on　its　nail。

I　simply　mention　this　circumstance　to　show　what　kind　of　a　girl
Pomona　had　grown　to　be。

We　were　all　the　time　at　work　in　some　way；　improving　our　little
place。　　〃Some　day　we　will　buy　it；〃　said　Euphemia。　　We　intended　to
have　some　wheat　put　in　in　the　fall　and　next　year　we　would　make　the
place　fairly　crack　with　luxuriance。　　We　would　divide　the　duties　of
the　farm；　and；　among　other　things；　Euphemia　would　take　charge　of
the　chickens。　　She　wished　to　do　this　entirely　herself；　so　that
there　might　be　one　thing　that　should　be　all　her　own；　just　as　my
work　in　town　was　all　my　own。　　As　she　wished　to　buy　the　chickens　and
defray　all　the　necessary　expenses　out　of　her　own　private　funds；　I
could　make　no　objections；　and；　indeed；　I　had　no　desire　to　do　so。
She　bought　a　chicken…book；　and　made　herself　mistress　of　the
subject。　　For　a　week；　there　was　a　strong　chicken　flavor　in　all　our
conversation。

This　was　while　the　poultry　yard　was　building。　　There　was　a　chicken…
house　on　the　place；　but　no　yard；　and　Euphemia　intended　to　have　a
good　big　one；　because　she　was　going　into　the　business　to　make
money。

〃Perhaps　my　chickens　may　buy　the　place；〃　she　said；　and　I　very　much
hoped　they　would。

Everything　was　to　be　done　very　systematically。　　She　would　have
Leghorns；　Brahmas；　and　common　fowls。　　The　first；　because　they　laid
so　many　eggs；　the　second；　because　they　were　such　fine；　big　fowls；
and　the　third；　because　they　were　such　good　mothers。

〃We　will　eat；　and　sell　the　eggs　of　the　first　and　third　classes；〃
she　said；　〃and　set　the　eggs　of　the　second　class；　under　the　hens　of
the　third　class。〃

〃There　seems　to　be　some　injustice　in　that　arrangement；〃　I　said；
〃for　the　first　class　will　always　be　childless；　the　second　class
will　have　nothing　to　do　with　their　offspring；　while　the　third　will
be　obliged　to　bring　up　and　care　for　the　children　of　others。〃

But　I　really　had　no　voice　in　this　matter。　　As　soon　as　the　carpenter
had　finished　the　yard；　and　had　made　some　coops　and　other　necessary
arrangements；　Euphemia　hired　a　carriage　and　went　about　the　country
to　buy　chickens。　　It　was　not　easy　to　find　just　what　she　wanted；　and
she　was　gone　all　day。

However；　she　brought　home　an　enormous　Brahma　cock　and　ten　hens；
which　number　was　pretty　equally　divided　into　her　three　classes。
She　was　very　proud　of　her　purchases；　and　indeed　they　were　fine
fowls。　　In　the　evening　I　made　some　allusion　to　the　cost　of　all　this
carpenter　work；　carriage…hire；　etc。；　besides　the　price　of　the
chickens。

〃O！〃　said　she；　〃you　don't　look　at　the　matter　in　the　right　light。
You　haven't　studied　it　up　as　I　have。　　Now；　just　let　me　show　you　how
this　thing　will　pay；　if　carried　on　properly。〃　　Producing　a　piece　of
paper　covered　with　figures；　she　continued：　〃I　begin　with　ten　hens
I　got　four　common　ones；　because　it　would　make　it　easier　to
calculate。　　After　a　while；　I　set　these　ten　hens　on　thirteen　eggs
each；　three　of　these　eggs　will　probably　spoil；that　leaves　ten
chickens　hatched　out。　　Of　these；　I　will　say　that　half　die；　that
will　make　five　chickens　for　each　hen；　you　see；　I　leave　a　large
margin　for　loss。　　This　makes　fifty　chickens；　and　when　we　add　the
ten　hens；　we　have　sixty　fowls　at　the　end　of　the　first　year。　　Next
year　I　set　these　sixty　and　they　bring　up　five　chickens　each；I　am
sure　there　will　be　a　larger　proportion　than　this；　but　I　want　to　be
safe；and　that　is　three　hundred　chickens；　add　the　hens；　and　we
have　three　hundred　and　sixty　at　the　end　of　the　second　year。　　In　the
third　year；　calculating　in　the　same　safe　way；　we　shall　have　twenty…
one　hundred　and　sixty　chickens；　in　the　fourth　year　there　will　be
twelve　thousand　nine　hundred　and　sixty；　and　at　the　end　of　the　fifth
year；　which　is　as　far　as　I　need　to　calculate　now；　we　shall　have
sixty…four　thousand　and　eight　hundred　chickens。　　What　do　you　think
of　that？　　At　seventy…five　cents　apiece；a　very　low　price；that
would　be　forty…eight　thousand　and　six　hundred　dollars。　　Now；　what
is　the　petty　cost　of　a　fence；　and　a　few　coops；　by　the　side　of　a　sum
like　that？〃

〃Nothing　at　all；〃　I　answered。　　〃It　is　lost　like　a　drop　in　the
ocean。　　I　hate；　my　dear；　to　interfere　in　any　way　with　such　a
splendid　calculation　as　that；　but　I　would　like　to　ask　you　one
question。〃

〃Oh；　of　course；〃　she　said；　〃I　suppose　you　are　going　to　say
something　about　the　cost　of　feeding　all　this　poultry。　　That　is　to
come　out　of　the　chickens　supposed　to　die。　　They　won't　die。　　It　is
ridiculous　to　suppose　that　each　hen　will　bring　up　but　five
chickens。　　The　chickens　that　will　live；　out　of　those　I　consider　as
dead；　will　more　than　pay　for　the　feed。〃

〃That　is　not　what　I　was　going　to　ask　you；　although　of　course　it
ought　to　be　considered。　　But　you　know　you　are　only　going　to　set
common　hens；　and　you　do　not　intend　to　raise　any。　　Now；　are　those
four　hens　to　do　all　the　setting　and　mother…work　for　five　years；　and
eventually　bring　up　over　sixty…four　thousand　chickens？〃

〃Well；　I　DID　make　a　mistake　there；〃　she　said；　coloring　a　little。
〃I'll　tell　you　what　I'll　do；　I'll　set　every　one　of　my　hens　every
year。〃

〃But　all　those　chickens　may　not　be　hens。　　You　have　calculated　that
every　one　of　them　would　set　as　soon　as　it　was　old　enough。〃

She　stopped　a　minute　to　think　this　over。

〃Two　heads　are　better　than　one；　I　see；〃　she　said；　directly。　　〃I'll
allow　that　one…half　of　all　the　chickens　are　roosters；　and　that　will
make　the　profits　twenty…four　thousand　three　hundred　dollarsmore
than　enough　to　buy　this　place。〃

〃Ever　so　much　more；〃　I　cried。　　〃This　Rudder　Grange　is　ours！〃



CHAPTER　IX。

WE　CAMP　OUT。


My　wife　and　I　were　both　so　fond　of　country　life　and　country
pursuits　that　month　after　month　passed　by　at　our　little　farm　in　a
succession　of　delightful　days。　　Time　flew　like　a　〃limited　express〃
train；　and　it　was　September　before　we　knew　it。

I　had　been　working　very　hard　at　the　office　that　summer；　and　was
glad　to　think　of　my　two　weeks'　vacation；　which　were　to　begin　on　the
first　Monday　of　the　month。　　I　had　intended　spending　these　two　weeks
in　rural　retirement　at　home；　but　an　interview　in　the　city　with　my
family　physician　caused　me　to　change　my　mind。　　I　told　him　my　plan。

〃Now；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　were　you；　I'd　do　nothing　of　the　kind。　　You
have　been　working　too　hard；　your　face　shows　it。　　You　need　rest　and
change。　　Nothing　will　do　you　so　much　good　as　to　camp　out；　that　will
be　fifty　times　better　than　going　to　any　summer　resort。　　You　can
take　your　wife　with　you。　　I　know　she'll　like　it。　　I　don't　care
where　you　go　so　that　it's　a　healthy　spot。　　Get　a　good　tent　and　an
outfit；　be　off　to　the　woods；　and　forget　all　about　business　and
domestic　matters　for　a　few　weeks。〃

This　sounded　splendid；　and　I　propounded　the　plan　to　Euphemia　that
evening。　　She　thought　very　well　of　it；　and　was　sure　we　could　do　it。
Pomona　would　not　be　afraid　to　remain　in　the　house；　under　the
protection　of　Lord　Edward；　and　she　could　easily　attend　to　the　cow
and　the　chickens。　　It　would　be　a　holiday　for　her　too。　　Old　John；
the　man　who　occasionally　worked　for　us；　would　come　up　sometimes　and
see　after　things。　　With　her　customary　dexterity　Euphemia　swept　away
every　obstacle　to　the　plan；　and　all　was　settled　before　we　went　to
bed。

As　my　wife　had　presumed；　Pomona　made　no　objections　to　remaining　in
charge　of　the　house。　　The　scheme　pleased　her　greatly。　　So　far；　so
good。　　I　called　that　day　on　a　friend　who　was　in　the　habit　of
camping　out　to　talk　to　him　about　getting　a　tent　and　the　necessary
〃traps〃　for　a　life　in　the　woods。　　He　proved　perfectly　competent　to
furnish　advice　and　everything　else。　　He　offered　to　lend　me　all　I
needed。　　He　had　a　complete　outfit；　had　done　with　them　for　t