TAKING REINS IN HAND 



of men and money, that fine farming is not a 

 profession to grow rich by. And yet, our 

 doubtful friends of the homespun will enjoy 

 the neighborhood of such a farmer, and profit 

 by it; they love to sell him "likely young 

 colts"; they eagerly furnish him with butter 

 (at the town price), and possibly with eggs, — 

 his own fowls being mostly fancy ones, bred 

 for premiums, and indisposed to lay largely; 

 in short, they like to tap his superfluities in a 

 hundred ways. They admire Mr. Tallweed, 

 particularly upon Fair days, when he appears 

 in the dignity of manager for some special 

 interest; and remark, among themselves, that 

 "the Squire makes a thunderin' better com- 

 mittee-man, than he does farmer." And when 

 they read of him in their agricultural journal — 

 if they take one — as a progressive, and suc- 

 cessful agriculturist, they laugh a little in their 

 sleeves in a quiet way, and conceive, I am 

 afraid, the same unfortunate distrust of the 

 farm journal, which we all entertain — of the 

 political ones. 



Yet the Squire is as innocent of all decep- 

 tion, and of all ill intent in the matter, as he is 

 of thrift in his farming. Whoever brings to 

 so practical a business the ambition to astonish 

 by the enormity of his crops, at whatever cost, 



73 



