46 THE FAT OF THE LAND 
«I do not know what you mean by ‘horse 
keep,’ ” 
« Why, most of the men on farms around here 
own a horse and buggy, to use nights, Sundays, 
and holidays, and.we expect the boss to keep 
the horse. This is my rig. It is about the best 
in the township; cost me $280 for the outfit.” 
«See here, young man, this is another speci- 
men of farm economics, and it is one of the 
worst in the lot. Let me do a small example in 
mental arithmetic for you. The interest on 
$280 is $14; the yearly depreciation of your prop- 
erty, without accidents, is at least $40; horse-shoe- 
ing and repairs, $20; loss of wages (for no man 
will keep your horse for less than $4 a month), 
$48. In addition to this, you will be tempted 
to spend at least $5 a month more with a horse 
than without one; that is $60 more. You are 
throwing away $182 every year without adding 
$1 to your value as an employee, one ounce of 
dignity to your employment, or one foot of gain 
in your social position, no matter from what 
point you view it. 
«Taking it for granted that you receive $25 
a month for every month of the year (and this 
is admitting too much), you waste more than 
half on that blessed rig, and you can make no 
provision for the future, for sickness, or for old 
age. No, I will not keep your horse, nor will I 
employ any man whose scheme of life doesn’t run 
further than the ownership of a horse and buggy.” 
