THE TIM BUNKER PAPERS. 39 



me that there must be something about book-farming arter 

 all. So I went home and talked the matter over with my 

 woman, what the minister said, and how the crops came 

 in where they used the.sub-sile plow.&quot; 



&quot; Well,&quot; says she, &quot; Seth, what is the use of your al 

 ways standing by, and hearing tilings said that you don t 

 understand, like a stupid calf? Why don t you scribe and 

 take them books ?&quot; 



&quot; Cause why? How can I afford it? I haven t quite 

 paid for my farm yet, and the baby was sick this winter, 

 and the doctor s bill isn t paid. And you know, wife, 

 we have always gone upon the principle that a penny 

 saved is two-pence earned. We can t spend a dollar for 

 farming books.&quot; 



&quot; Well, Seth,&quot; said she, &quot; never mind. I can raise the 

 dollar. Where there is a will there is a way. I can make 

 the old shawl and bonnet do another year, and that will 

 be ten dollars in your pocket. Everything that a farmer 

 has to sell is high; at any rate, we should think so if we 

 had to buy it. I can remember well enough when butter 

 was only ten cents a pound, now it is thirty ; and many a 

 bushel of potatoes you have carried to market for twelve 

 and a half cents, now they are one dollar and more. 

 Seth, if you railly want them books, I d have em any 

 how. It wont take a great deal of land to raise an extra 

 bushel of potatoes, and if you re put to it for help, I ll 

 agree to hoe em.&quot; 



&quot; Enough said,&quot; says I. &quot; Woman, I m bound to have 

 the books.&quot; So I sent a dollar down to Mr. Judd by the 

 Parson, the last time he went down to the city, and it 

 wa n t long before the January number came, as full of 

 good reading as an egg is of meat. I had a regular set-to 

 a reading on t, the first night, and I declare if it wa n t 

 smack twelve o clock before I gin it up. I d got along to 

 that phosphate factory, when wife spoke out says she ; 

 &quot; I thought them farming papers was all nonsense 1&quot; 



