46 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



" I do not know what you mean by horse 

 keep.' " 



Why, most of the men on farms around here 

 own a horse and buggy, to use nights, Sundays, 

 and holidays, and we expect the boss to keep 

 the horse. This is my rig. It is about the best 

 in the township ; cost me $280 for the outfit." 



" See here, young man, this is another speci- 

 men of farm economics, and it is one of the 

 worst in the lot. Let me do a small example in 

 mental arithmetic for you. The interest on 

 $280 is $14 ; the yearly depreciation of your prop- 

 erty, without accidents, is at least $40 ; horse-shoe- 

 ing and repairs, $20 ; loss of wages (for no man 

 will keep your horse for less than $4 a month), 

 $48. In addition to this, you will be tempted 

 to spend at least $5 a month more with a horse 

 than without one ; that is $60 more. You are 

 throwing away $182 every year without adding 

 $1 to your value as an employee, one ounce of 

 dignity to your employment, or one foot of gain 

 in your social position, no matter from what 

 point you view it. 



" Taking it for granted that you receive $25 

 a month for every month of the year (and this 

 is admitting too much), you waste more than 

 half on that blessed rig, and you can make no 

 provision for the future, for sickness, or for old 

 age. No, I will not keep your horse, nor will I 

 employ any man whose scheme of life doesn't run 

 further than the ownership of a horse and buggy." 



