88 BOAKD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



as we advance, it comes plainly into view, and after a walk 

 of two miles we find we are approaching the dwelling of a 

 homesteader. As we draw near, we note it and its sur- 

 roundings. It stands on the summit of a prairie roll ; is a 

 board shanty about twenty feet square, with a stove-pipe 

 chimney. There is a small glass Avindow on the side of 

 approach, where it seems there should also be a door : but, 

 as there is none, we conclude the front door is on the back 

 side. We notice there is a pole barn, covered, roof and 

 sides, heavily with straw, which is black by a year's ex- 

 posure ; ofl' to the left is a stubble field, and beyond, a 

 dozen head of cows and young cattle feeding. Near the 

 barn are two stacks of wheat and four or five of hay, and 

 scattered around the premises sundry farm implements and 

 a good two-horse wagon, but no other vehicle. 



But we are now too near to be longer unnoticed, and our 

 approach is announced by the sharp bark of a fine collie dog. 

 By the time we are within speaking distance, a man is seen 

 coming from the barn, a boy of about seven years of age 

 and a girl of five from the direction of the hay stacks, and a 

 woman appears at the door. A glance showed that all 

 were comfortably and neatly dressed, had an intelligent but 

 a sort of scared, quizzical look, as much as to say, " Who 

 are you ? where did you come from ? what brings you here ? 

 — but we are glad to see even you." Salutations were 

 exchanofed without much embarrassment on either side. 

 They were told that we had fiillen in with their place while 

 roving out from C, but that we were from the East, " Are 

 you?" said the woman, with animation ; " We are from the 

 East." "From what State, madam?" " From Ohio." "Then 

 we were neighbors ; Massachusetts is my home." That was 

 enough ; all embarrassment Avas removed, and conversa- 

 tion flowed freely respecting the East and the West. With 

 occasional leading questions to draw it out, the home- 

 steader's story was practically as follows, told sometimes by 

 the husband and sometimes by the wife : — 



" We had a good little farm in Ohio in a thickly settled 

 neighborhood, with school, church, store and post-ofiice 

 close by. But there was a mortgage on the farm which 

 we could pay ofi" only slowly, everything we had to sell was 



