NABOTH'S VINEYARD 287 



fur market for twenty years. If it should fall 

 to half its present price, you would feel safe in 

 buying a lot. You know that it would make 

 just as good hats as it ever did, and that the 

 hats, in all probability, would give you the usual 

 profit. It's the same with corn and oats. I 

 know their feeding value ; and when they fall 

 much below it, I fill my granary, because for 

 my purpose they are as valuable as if they cost 

 three times as much. Last year I bought ten 

 thousand bushels of corn and oats at a tremen- 

 dously low price. I don't expect to have such a 

 chance again ; but I shall watch the market, and 

 if corn goes below thirty cents or oats below 

 twenty cents, I will fill my granary to the roof. 

 I can make them pay big profits on such prices." 



" Will you sell this plant, Williams ? " 



" Not for a song, you may be sure." 



" What has it cost you. to date ? " 



"Don't know exactly, between $80,000 and 

 190,000, I reckon ; the books will show." 



" Will you take twenty per cent advance on 

 what the books show ? I'm on the square." 



" Now see here, old man, what would be the 

 good of selling this factory for $100,000 ? How 

 could I place the money so that it would bring 

 me half the things which this farm brings me 

 now ? Could I live in a better house, or have 

 better food, better service, better friends, or a 

 better way of entertaining them ? You know 

 that $5000 or $6000 a year would not supply 



