IN DAROTA., 17 
When we were married I had two horses and $350 
in money—total $550.. Dedneting this from the 
$2,000, leaves $1, 450 as the net result of our six 
years’ work—-about $240 a year. 
FIFTY-THREE YEARS WORK. 
I was not satisfied with this. Land in that vicinity 
was worth, on an average, $80 an acre, so that my - 
net profits were just three acres per year. At this 
rate, it would take me about fifty-three years to earn 
afarm of 160 acres. This outlook was not satisfac- 
tory, and I think the reader will not blame me for 
being dissatisfied with it. The advice of my neigh- 
bors to “let well enough alone” was honestly given 
and well meant,, and generaliy it is good advice. 
But $240 a year for two industrious, hard-working 
people is not “ well enough.” 
PLANNING AND LOCATING. 
I did not decide to go to Dakota without careful 
consideration, and as much investigation as I could 
make, and having decided I set about making prepara- 
tions for the change. I need not enter into details, 
further than to say that as I had not exactly fixed 
on a location I thought best to leave my family in 
Lllinois, and, taking three of my horses, go out my- 
self, select my land, do as much breaking as I could 
during the season for that work, build a house, and 
then return for my family. 
I started in April (1 think it was, the 4th), and 
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