THE SYNDICATE 343 



while interested labor hurries the hay into the 

 barn to make it safe, knowing that the extra 

 half-hour will be made up to it in some other 

 way. 



It pays the farmer to take his help into a kind 

 of partnership, not always in his farm, but always 

 in his consideration. That is why my farm-house 

 was filled with papers and magazines of interest 

 to the men ; that is why I spent many an even- 

 ing with them talking over our industries ; that 

 is why I purchased an organ for them when I 

 found that Mrs. French, the dairymaid, could 

 play on it ; that is why I talked economy to 

 them and urged them to place some part of each 

 month's wage in the Exeter Savings Bank ; and 

 that is why, early in 1898, I formulated a plan 

 for investing their wages at a more profitable rate 

 of interest. I asked each one to give me a state- 

 ment of his or her savings up to date. They were 

 quite willing to do this, and I found that the ag- 

 gregate for the eight men and three women was 

 $2530. Anderson, who saved most of his wages, 

 had an account in a city savings bank, and did 

 not join us in our syndicate, though he approved 

 of it. 



The money was made up of sums varying from 

 $90, Lena's savings, to $460 owned by Judson, the 

 buggy man. My proposition was this : Pool the 

 funds, buy Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific 

 stock, and hold it for one or two years. The 

 interest would be twice as much as they were 



