POLLY’S JUDGMENT HALL 95 
Of course the farm furnished milk, cream, butter, 
vegetables, some fruit, fresh pork, poultry, and 
eggs. There were also some small freight bills, 
which had not been accounted for, amounting to 
$31, and $8 had been spent in transportation for 
the men. Then the farm must be charged with 
interest on all money advanced, when I had com- 
pleted my additions. The rate was to be five 
per cent, and the time three months. 
On the last day of the year I went to the farm 
. to pay up to date all accounts. I wished to end 
the year with a clean score. I did not know 
what the five months had cost me (I would know 
that evening), but I did know that I had had 
“the time of my life” in the spending, and I 
would not whine. I felt a little nervous when I 
thought of going over the figures with Polly, — 
she was such a judicious spender of money. But 
I knew her criticism would not be severe, for she 
was hand-in-glove with me in the project. I 
tried to find fault with myself for wastefulness, 
but some excellent excuse would always crop up. 
“ Your water tower is unnecessary.” “ Yes, but it 
adds to the landscape, and it has its use.” “You 
have put up too much fencing.” “True, but I 
wanted to feel secure, and the old fences were such 
nests of weeds and rubbish.” “You have spent 
too much money on the farm-house.” “I think 
not, for the laborer is worthy of his hire, and also 
of all reasonable creature. comforts.” And thus 
it went on. I would not acknowledge myself in 
