HUMAN ELEMENTS IN COTTON 263 



cook stove, a hat for herself and a pair of shoes for him. 



That winter they had another baby. Smith took a notion 

 that he could make more if he had a mule of his own and 

 got half the crop instead of a third of it. His new landlord 

 sold him a mule on credit. At the end of the year he had 

 $75. The baby had hindered the mother from work, and 

 Smith had to hire some done. He paid $50 on the mule, and 

 hoped that the next year he could pay the other $50. Mules 

 were cheaper then. He bought a one-horse wagon, adding 

 $30 to his debt. 



It was a bad year, and Smith moved again, taking his debt 

 with him to a third landlord. He kept his mule. That year 

 another baby, and the $100 debt raised to $125. He got half 

 the crop, but there was no pig. He didn't raise corn enough 

 the year before, and he had to buy from the landlord to 

 feed his mule. He wanted to plant more corn, but the land- 

 lord already had more corn than he knew what to do with. 

 He couldn't sell it, and he could sell cotton. 



Smith moved along to another place, moving his debt with 

 him. Then struck a good year. Cotton moved up in price, 

 and he had full ten bales, worth $500. He paid his debts 

 and had a little besides. He bought some furniture. The next 

 year he got in debt again and moved. The next he cleared 

 out to a new location. Another baby that died. The first- 

 born was big enough to pick a little cotton that fall. The 

 mother kept the children in the field with her as she worked. 

 He about broke even. 



On this place there was no commissary. The owner of 

 the land "stood" for Smith at a general merchandisery at a 

 town nearby, who was to be paid first thing in the fall out 

 of the proceeds of the crop. 



Next year the boy would be ten years old, and big enough 

 to plow. Smith bought another mule at the livery stable in 

 town, giving a mortgage both on the one he had and the 

 one he bought. The boy learned to plow that summer, and 

 the family cultivated nearly thirty acres of land in cotton. 



