288 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



half the luxury which we secure at Four Oaks, 

 or give half the enjoyment to my family or my 

 friends. Don't you see that it makes little dif- 

 ference what we call our expenses out here, so 

 long as the farm pays them and gives us a sur- 

 plus besides ? The investment is not large for 

 one to get a living from, and it makes possible 

 a lot of things which would be counted rank 

 extravagance in the city. Here's one of them." 



A cavalcade was just entering the home lot. 

 First came Jessie Gordon on her thoroughbred 

 mare Lightfoot, and with her, Laura on my 

 Jerry. Laura's foot is as dainty in the stirrup 

 as on the rugs, and she has Jerry's consent and 

 mine to put it where she likes. Following them 

 were Jane and Bill Jackson, with Jane's slender 

 mare looking absolutely delicate beside the big 

 brown gelding that carried Jackson's 190 pounds 

 with ease. The horses all looked as if there had 

 been " something doing," and they were hurried 

 to the stables. The ladies laughed and screamed 

 for a season, as seems necessary for young ladies, 

 and then departed, leaving us in peace. Jackson 

 filled his pipe before remarking : 



" I've been over the ridge into the Dunkard 

 settlement, and they have the cholera there to 

 beat the band. Joe Siegel lost sixty hogs in three 

 days, and there are not ten well hogs in two miles. 

 What do you think of that ? " 



" That means a hard fight mit Siegel,' " said 

 Kyrle. 



