152 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



measure, for she looked capable of caring for 

 both. She was a fine pattern of a country girl, 

 with a head full of good sense, and very useful- 

 looking hands and arms. Her face was good to 

 look upon ; it showed strength of character and 

 a definite object in life. She said she understood 

 the creamery processes in all their niceties, and 

 that she could make butter good enough for 

 Queen Victoria. 



The proposition offered by this young couple 

 was by far the best I had received, and I closed 

 with them at once. I agreed to pay each 125 a 

 month to start with, and explained my plan of 

 an increasing wage of $1 a month for each period 

 of six months' service. They thought they ought 

 to have $30 level. I thought so, too, if they were 

 as good as they promised. But I had a fondness 

 for my increasing scale, and I held to it. These 

 people were skilled laborers, and were worth 

 more to begin with than ordinary farm hands. 

 That is why I gave them $25 a month from the 

 start. Six hundred dollars a year for a man and 

 wife, with no expense except for clothing, is 

 good pay. They can easily put away $400 out 

 of it, and it doesn't take long to get fore-handed. 

 I think the Frenches have invested $500 a year, 

 on an average, since they came to Four Oaks. 



It is now time to get at the dairy-house, since 

 the dairy and the dairymaid are both in evi- 

 dence. The house was to be on the building 

 line, and both Polly and I thought it should 



