152 THE FAT OF THE LAND 
measure, for she looked capable of caring for 
both. She was a fine pattern of a country girl, 
with a head full of good sense, and very useful- 
looking hands and arms. Her face was good to 
look upon; it showed strength of character and 
a definite object in life. She said she understood 
the creamery processes in all their niceties, and 
that she could make butter good enough for 
Queen Victoria. 
The proposition offered by this young couple 
was by far the best I had received, and I closed 
with them at once. I agreed to pay each $25 a 
month to start with, and explained my plan of - 
an increasing wage of $1 a month for each period 
of six months’ service. They thought they ought 
to have $30 level. I thought so, too, if they were 
as good as they promised. But I had a fondness 
for my increasing scale, and I held to it. These 
people were skilled laborers, and were worth 
more to begin with than ordinary farm hands. 
That is why I gave them $25 a month from the 
start. Six hundred dollars a year fora man and 
wife, with no expense except for clothing, is 
good pay. They can easily put away $400 out 
of it, and it doesn’t take long to get fore-handed. 
I think the Frenches have invested $500 a year, 
on an average, since they came to Four Oaks. 
It is now time to get at the dairy-house, since 
the dairy and the dairymaid are both in evi- 
dence. The house was to be on the building 
line, and both Polly and I thought it should 
