140 FARMING IT 



Daniel's opinion was asked ; and in reply he im- 

 provised the following sonata. 



"Now, gentlemen," said Daniel, with his at- 

 tractive smile, "I will admit that my friend 

 George knows more about old harnesses and 

 pre-colonial buggies than any man in our vicin- 

 ity ; but as for hens, he knows absolutely nothing. 

 Now I have studied into the matter, experimented 

 a good deal, and have been the wiser by experi- 

 ence. I never raised a hen that did n't cost me 

 three dollars, and which would have sold under 

 the most favorable conditions for seventy-five 

 cents. I never got a dozen of eggs from my hens 

 that did n't stand me forty-eight cents when the 

 market price was twenty-two, and a dollar and 

 seventy-five when the market was forty-eight. 

 I never ate one of my chickens at a less price than 

 sixty cents a pound when Boston quotations 

 were twenty- four." 



"Nonsense, Daniel," interrupted Gramp with 

 a sniff, "you did n't know how to go about it." 



"I tell you, George," said Daniel, raising his 

 voice, "I know what I am talking about. What 

 do you suppose your son's experience is?" 



" What ? him ! " said Gramp in disgust. " Why, 

 if he drank a glass of cistern water, it would cost 

 him ten cents." 



"Well," said Daniel, "I guess he is no worse 

 than the rest of us, but let me give you my ex- 



