186 THE FAT OF THE LAND 
«I’m going to town to-morrow, and I’ll pick 
up Jane and Jack in time to take the four o’clock 
train out. Papa will meet us at the station, and 
Momee will greet us at the doorstep. Make an 
illumination, Momee, and we will carry them by 
storm. Tom will have to take a later train, but 
he will be here in time for dinner.” 
The afternoon of the 23d, the children came, 
and there was no failure in Kate’s plan. The 
youngsters were delighted with everything. 
Jane said : — 
“T always wanted to live on a farm. I can 
have a saddle horse now, and keep as many dogs 
as I like, can’t I, Dad ?” 
«You shall have the horse, and the dogs, too, 
when you come to stay.” 
“Daddy,” said Jack, “this will be great for 
you. Let me finish at an agricultural college, so 
that I can be of some practical help.” 
«Not on your life, my son! What your daddy 
doesn’t know about farming wouldn’t spoil a cup 
of tea! While you are at home I will give you 
daily instruction in this most wholesome and in- 
dependent business, which will be of incalculable 
benefit to you, and which, I am frank to say, 
you cannot get in any agricultural college. Col- 
lege, indeed! I have spent thousands of hours 
in dreaming and planning what a farm should 
be like! Do you suppose I am going to let these 
visions become contaminated by practical knowl- 
edge? Not by a long way! I have, in the 
