IN DAKOTA. 91 
“T hadn’t much acquaintance with you, Mr. Tay- 
lor when you lived here,” he began, “ but I wanted a 
little talk with you about Dakota, and to ask your 
advice about some things. You see we—my wife and 
[—have been talking a good deal for a year or two 
back about going out there to try and get a farm, and 
we have heard so many different stories about it that 
we ve been afraid to venture. And so when we heard 
that you were back on a visit to your old friends, we 
‘said we knew that you would tell us just how 
things are, and whether we had better go or not. 
And that’s what I’ve called for.” 
“T am glad to see you, Mr. Harmon, and will 
cheerfully give you any information about Dakota in 
my power. But you seem to be well-situated here. 
Are you not doing as well as ever?” 
‘Yes, I presume I am.” 
‘‘ Laying up some money every year?” 
“A little, not very much.” 
‘* You own the house you live in, I believe?” 
‘* Yes, sir.” 
‘And have asnug sum laid by for a rainy day, I 
suppose ?”’ 
‘Not very much, sir. You see we concluded to 
buy that property we live in, so as to have a home 
we could call our own, and that took most of the 
savings.” 
‘* But you have something besides that. About how 
much? You know I don’t ask out of idle curiosity, 
but that I may be able to give you sound advice.” 
