310 FARMING BY INCHES; 



" You don't mean Mrs. Stamford," said Mrs. K., firing up 

 suddenly. 



" Oh, dear, no. Mrs. Grundy is not a woman at all, or 

 rather she is all women." 



This puzzled her mightily, and she relapsed into silence. 



" Perhaps you are right, Mr. Nelson, yet I fear you will 

 not find what you want about here. None of the native 

 girls would come down to such work. They'd be glad 

 enough to get the money, but the working for it would stop 

 'em sure." 



Finding we were to get no assistance, Eobert turned the 

 conversation to other matters, and after a while we bade them 

 good-afternoon and walked on toward the next house, just 

 beyond the woods. 



" What an unlovely home ! " 



" Yes, and what a life ! It is not living at all ; it is mere 

 existence." 



" Vegetating." 



"Well said, Harriet. Those people haven't an idea 

 above potatoes. Oh, if that is farming, may I never be a 

 farmer ! I don't wonder the son ran away." 



"But need farm life to be so sunk in toil and igno- 

 rance ? " 



" I am sure I do not know. Perhaps these people we are 

 coming to can tell us. I suppose this must be the Stamford 



