POLLY'S JUDGMENT HALL 95 



Of course the farm furnished milk, cream, butter, 

 vegetables, some fruit, fresh pork, poultry, and 

 eggs. There were also some small freight bills, 

 which had not been accounted for, amounting to 

 $31, and |8 had been spent in transportation for 

 the men. Then the farm must be charged with 

 interest on all money advanced, when I had com- 

 pleted my additions. The rate was to be five 

 per cent, and the time three months. 



On the last day of the year I went to the farm 

 to pay up to date all accounts. I wished to end 

 the year with a clean score. I did not know 

 what the five months had cost me (I would know 

 that evening), but I did know that I had had 

 " the time of my life " in the spending, and I 

 would not whine. I felt a little nervous when I 

 thought of going over the figures with Polly, 

 she was such a judicious spender of money. But 

 I knew her criticism would not be severe, for she 

 was hand-in-glove with me in the project. I 

 tried to find fault with myself for wastefulness, 

 but some excellent excuse would always crop up. 

 " Your water tower is unnecessary." " Yes, but it 

 adds to the landscape, and it has its use." You 

 have put up too much fencing." " True, but I 

 wanted to feel secure, and the old fences were such 

 nests of weeds and rubbish." " You have spent 

 too much money on the farm-house." I think 

 not, for the laborer is worthy of his hire, and also 

 of all reasonable creature comforts." And thus 

 it went on. I would not acknowledge myself in 



