We did not want to take less than $90 net to 

 us when called upon to sign the above option 

 but it was held out to us by this land company 

 that tliey could not get more for us, but if 

 they had it at that price without a doubt they 

 could close at once with their customer that 

 they had just had out there and WE wanted 

 to close up the matter and get out and so we 

 signed at the $85, and as to what good it done 

 us signing up will develop as we go along. 



On the 8th of March I received a letter from 

 the Farmers' Supply Company to come in and 

 secure them for my store account, and on the 

 next day I went in; you see, Mr. C. D. 

 Matthews takes no chances on a loss, for, as 

 he says, "You might die, you know," and if 

 he has your realty safely tied up with a TRUST 

 deed and a CHATTEL. MORTGAGE on ALL 

 your personal property there is not mucli chance 

 that should you die that your family will get 

 away with anything. Well, as I said, I went in, 

 and about the first question asked was, "How's 

 your wheat?" and then, as I had no objections 

 to protecting him fully — not meaning to TRY 

 to beat anyone — I gave him chattel mortgage 

 on wheat crop, what mules that were not al- 

 ready under mortgage and the corn crop that 

 we hoped to grow this season, and all to pro- 

 tect his store for what supplies I might need. 



Now in this country there is a fashion to 

 have the private offices of the bank out in the 

 front lobby, and as Mr. Matthews is rather 

 hard of hearing it is necessary to talk rather 

 loud to him In making a deal, and everyone 

 that comes in HAS to hear your business, 

 whether you want them to or not. and it is 

 rich food for the curious ones; and I remember 

 that on this particular occasion I was very 



"Mired Up." 



much put out that I had to talk my affairs 

 before some very curious people that were not 

 slow in talking it over the country. I was 

 not ashamed that I had to borrow money, but 

 you know that as a rule you do not care to put 

 your financial affairs in the daily papers. 



As I have shown you, I purchased this farm 

 of Mr. C. D. Matthews, Sr., and I bought my 

 supplies at the Farmers' Supply Company, 

 which was his store. I sold my grain to the 

 Scott County Milling Company, in which I was 

 informed he owned the controlling interest, and 

 as he said to me at one time we were in part- 

 nership on that deal down there — meaning the 

 farm — and now as I needed some more mules 

 on the farm he handed me over to his nephew, 

 Mr. A. J. Matthews, to supply that need, as 

 Mr. A. J. Matthews was a mule dealer. Then 

 on the 1st of April, 1911, I purchased of Mr. 



A. J. Matthews a team of mules for $450, giving 

 as surety them and another team worth as 

 much. From all this you will see that in a 

 business sense I was in with the Matthews. 



When you first come into tliis country from 

 a northern country it is usually a season before 

 the malaria begins to affect you, and when it 

 does begin on you it is usually with a dull head- 

 ache, which was particularly true in Mrs. 

 Studabaker's case, and from a headache once 

 in a while they soon multiplied until if she es- 

 caped a week without a severe headache she 

 thought she was fortunate. 



April 15. 1911. — Along about this time the 

 roads were particularlv bad, and while the 

 picture of our being "mired up" on the 18th of 

 July with a small load of groceries explains in 

 a way the BAD condition of the roads, yet 

 there are other things t.^at concern the roads 

 that I mention here. Tlie roads or "lanes" of 

 this country are what you might call a kind of 

 "catchall." Uusally if there are any stumps in 

 the field that you don't have the time to make 

 into a heap and burn, or if you are not dis- 

 posed to burn them, haul them to the fence and 

 throw them over into the road. If there is 

 a wet spot in the field and it is at all possi- 

 ble to drain it into the road, do it. 



Should the waters in the road show a tend- 

 ency to run into your field, levee them out. 

 Turn your stock into the roads — leave your 

 farm implements set out in the road, but in no 

 way ever improve them. The last year I was 

 in this country — 1912 — I took it upon myself 

 to look into the road improvement work of the 

 country. There were some very bad mud- 

 holes in our vicinity and my boys and I re- 

 paired them, did what would have cost about 

 $17.00 to fill them up, and, not wanting to look 

 small, I did not at once file any bill for the 

 work until I was informed that I would be 

 taxed for road improvement, so when I paid 

 my land tax I asked the Tax Collector if I 

 was assessed a road tax, and he informed me 

 that I had to pay about $15.50 road tax. I paid 

 it and then filed my bill with the Road District 

 Commissioners for my labor, but as yet have 

 not received it. There is a wonderful oppor- 

 tunity for road improvement in this country, 

 and if you go down there either for a season 

 or to locate permanently you can be of a great 

 service to the whole people by repairing and 

 building and draining roads. 



No better practical illustration of the fact 

 that "The People Pay the Freight" could be 

 set before you than this showing and selling 

 of real estate as carried out in this "New 

 Madrid Earthquake Zone of 1811-'12." Drop 

 off in any of these towns down here — drop a 

 word about buying land, and you are whirled 

 out to see several pieces of it. 



Some of these parties are sincere — some of 

 them are out for a rest at other people's ex- 

 pense, and some of them, so it appeared to 

 us, were out on their honeymoon trip. Of 

 course they would be brouglit to the home on 

 the land that was being shown you and you 

 would be allowed — or rather expected — to tell 

 your little story of the country and how well 

 you liked it, etc., but — (then why you wanted 

 to sell). Now if you go to this country and 

 take a part in this sightseeing and buy through 

 any of these agencies, you can rest assured 

 that you are not only paying for your ride, but 

 your proportionate share of all the other fel- 

 lows, and if you take my advice and either rent 

 in this country for a season or work for some 

 one before dealing for land you will have the 

 opportunity of seeing that what I outline to 

 you is true. 



The upkeep of automobiles is immense, and 

 in this country, owing to road conditions, both 

 kinds of conveyances have to be kept, which 

 practically doubles the expense, and — "The Peo- 

 ple Pay It." Try and dodge it. 



May 14, 1911.— Along about this time OUR 

 financial condition was seemingly the talk of 

 the country. We wanted to sell out and save 

 our little "roll." if possible. The real estate 

 agencies wanted to sell it and make their $10 

 to $20 per acre commission; they were showing 

 up the farm quite often. This naturally had 



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