THE "STEAM-CULTIVATOR." 217 



This was far from being the case. He had heard, 

 I suspect, and interpreted too, after his own fashion, 

 every word I had said and read to him. For, after 

 our late-described interviews, his "trespasses," as he 

 called them, on my Farm became more and more 

 frequent. Whether it was that he thought the 

 demerits and deficiencies of the plow were more 

 strikingly to be seen and freely studied upon my 

 soil than on his own, or whether he reckoned upon 

 the chance of hearing them more boldly outspoken, 

 I will not attempt to decide : but for some reason or 

 other I soon found him a frequent, and by degrees a 

 more (if I may venture such an expression) long- 

 winded listener. IsTot a week elapsed since our 

 last conversation, when a rainy day drove him into 

 my den for shelter, and as ready a prey as any beast 

 that ever roamed the wilds of agricultural theory 

 could desire. 



"I'm afeard," he began, after ensconcing himself 

 in the very same chair, with one of the very same 

 cigars, opposite the same fire-place, and in precisely 

 the same attitude "I'm afeard it won't leave off 

 for some time. I should like to hear you out, sir, 

 about that Steam-plowing I beg pardon steam 

 not-plowing 'cultivation' anything you like to 



call it, that you was on about the other day. I do n't 

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