1903 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
173 
Hope Farm Notes 
A Hope Farm Story.— This one was told 
just as twilight came on one stormy Sun¬ 
day evening. The snow was blowing and 
doiucing outside. When Hugh and Ch.arlie 
came in from their chores they let a raw 
blast of snow blow into the kitchen. The 
Hope Farm man filled out tlie big chair 
with the little girls perched on either 
knee and the little boys hanging to the 
chair arms. These four little folks have 
three different names for the Hope Farm 
man. They represent three different fami¬ 
lies. We do not need any lamp. The 
Madame sits by the fire pretending not to 
listen to the story. 
What shall it be about? 
There is a lively chorus of “Brother Rab¬ 
bit and Cousin Woodchuck!’’ for they are 
great favorites. 
Well, as you know, Brother Rabbit and 
Cousin Woodchuck lived in the hole to¬ 
gether. Cousin Woodchuck was a sleepy 
old fellow and hated to be disturbed in 
Winter. This night I speak of was stormy 
—much worse than it is outdoors to-night. 
Brother and Cousin didn’t care for that— 
they were warm and comfortable, and the 
Cliase girls had brought them three sweet 
apples. Brother Rabbit went out in the 
snow and hopped up and down in a drift, 
he felt so good, but Cousin Woodchuck 
just stretched out on his bed and went to 
sleep. About 10 o’clock he started up out 
of bed, for some one was in the hole calling 
out: “Wake up! Wake up! Cousin Wood¬ 
chuck!” Who should it be but Sammy 
Squirrel! lie was all out of breath, he 
had run so fast, but he managed to tell his 
story. 
You see our old friend Billy Beaver was 
in trouble. 
“What? Billy Beaver?” said the Bud. 
“'fhat nice Billy Beaver that helped Cousin 
Woodchuck over the brook when Judge 
Lynx was after him?” 
The same one. You see Billy Beaver had 
been cutting down a tree with his teeth. 
Just as he got it ready to fall his foot 
sliijped and the tree came down and caught 
tlie end of his tail and lield him. There 
he was stuck. He couldn’t move or get 
away, and as he was trying to get his tail 
out who should come along but Simon 
Sna.ke!” 
"Ah!” It was a sound deep down in the 
four little throats, 'fhey have no use for 
Simon Snake, for he tells stories, and is in 
partnership with Judge Lynx! The Graft 
and the Scion doubled up their fists and the 
little girls sadly felt that trouble was com¬ 
ing. 
you see Simon Snake pretended he was 
very sorry, and said he would go for help— 
and then he made off as fast as he could 
to tell Judge Lynx to come and eat poor 
Billy Beaver up. Sammy Squirrel heard 
him talk about it, so he had run to get 
Cousin Wootichuck to help. Judge Lynx 
had gone to bed hungry and Mrs. Lynx had 
scolded liim because he didn’t keep his 
family provided for. Wlien Simon Snake 
came and told him about Billy, old Judge 
got right out of bed arid came along, just 
licking his chops to think what fine eating 
Billy would be. 
There were four very sei’ious little faces 
in the lirelight by this time, for Billy 
Beaver is an old friend of ours. I’ll tell 
you that Cousin Woodchuck hated to turn 
out in that storm. His legs are short and 
he can’t run, especially in the snow. Judge 
Lynx would be sure to get him if he 
caught him outside the hole and he felt 
the cold badly, too. But Cousin Woodchuck 
alw'ays stays by his friends, and he couldn’t 
see Billy Beaver eaten up tliat way with¬ 
out trying to save him. So he made a run 
and a jump, floundered through the snov 
and finally got to the place where HilB 
Beaver was held by the tree. He took hii 
sharp teeth and bit off the hairs on Billy'! 
tail mid a little bit of the tail, too, I think 
and Billy gave a hard Jump and got him 
self free from the tree! 
“Oh goody! Ain’t you glad?” broke ii 
the little girls. 
, ‘‘Oh- well, there’ll be trouble yet,” sail 
the little boys wisely. 
That was right, because Billy Beaver hai 
hardly had time to lick his tail before dowi 
came Sammy Squirrel from a tree. “Hen 
come.s Judge Lynx!” he said, and sun 
*^hey heard him coming over thi 
hill. That was hard on Cousin Wood¬ 
chuck. Billy Beaver could jump into thi 
water. Brother Rabbit could run anc 
Sammy could climb a tree, but poor, fat oli 
Cousin Woodchuck had to .stand there am 
h6 ea-ten up by that mean old Judge Lynx 
there was a shudder up against my side 
a poor little voice trembled as it said 
Oh, Father, please don’t let Cousir 
Woodchuck get killed!” 
,^Whaf a beautiful thing it is to live ir 
tni.s strange and happy country of story¬ 
time where we may always save the 
worthy and punish the evil! 
You .see Cou.sin Woodchuck might bf 
.slow and fat but he had no fat on hi? 
brain.s! Some people are lame or blind oi 
sick, but they make up for it by being 
smart. You didn’t catch Cousin Wood- 
chi^ick stopping to cry. 
, ‘‘Quick!’ he said to Sammy Squirrel 
Run up that pine tree and bite off a good 
.sized branch.” 
Sammy didn’t stop to ask any questions 
“Uc just went and bit off a good one. 
No%v,” .said Cousin Woodchuck, “you 
and Billy Beaver tie that branch on tc 
Brother Rabbit’s tail!” 
It didn’t ta.ke them long to do that, foi 
Judge Lynx was coming nearer all ths 
time. Brother Rabbit looked funny enough 
with that big pine branch tied to his tail, 
t^usin Woodchuck told him to sit down in 
the snow and then jump and sit down 
again. Brother Rabbit kept this up till 
Judge Lynx came up on the run—then he 
hopped off while Billy Beaver went into 
the brook, Sammy climbed a tree and 
Woodchuck crawled into the snow. 
Judge Lynx was hungry enough to eat a 
raw dog by the time he struck the place. 
The first thing he saw was the place where 
Brother Rabbit had been sitting on the 
snow. That pine branch had ma^le a big 
mark and when Judge Lynx saw it he 
jumped two feet in the air and ran for 
dear life. A few rods away he met Simon 
Snake. 
“See here, you rascal,” he growled, 
“what do you mean by fooling me? Uncle 
Wolf is over there—1 saw the marks of 
his tail in the snow. He’d eat me if he 
caught me, and I’ve a notion to eat you 
right now for fooling me.” 
“I wish he would,” said the Graft, “bul 
I’m afraid of him yet.” 
“Nonsense,” said Simon Snake. “How 
did you know Uncle Wolf is there?” 
"I saw the marks of his tail in the snow!” 
“Did you smell his feet?” 
“Why no—I didn’t—I’ll do it now!” 
So Judge Lynx crawled slowly back an 
smelled of the tracks in the snow. 
“Why, sure enough,” says he, “this may 
be Uncle Wolf’s tail but it certainly is 
Brother Rabbit’s foot. I don’t care for 
Uncie Wolf’s tail when his teeth are not 
fastened to it. 1 guess I’ll look around a 
little. That’s one of Cousin WoodchucK c, 
tricks, but it don’t fool me.” 
“You mean me,” says Simon Snake. 
So Judge Lynx began to paw in the snow 
and first you know he struck the very drift 
where poor Cousin Woodchuck was hiding 
He dug and dug until poor Cousin’s paw’ 
came in view. 
“Ah, ha! I’ve got you now,” says he— 
and it did iook as though the end of our 
gcod friend had come—after all his strug¬ 
gles. But Cousin Woodchuck still had his 
wjts about him. He had found a big chest¬ 
nut burr on the ground under the snow 
and just as Judge Lynx opened his mouth 
to bite him what did Cousin do but slip 
that burr right into his mouth. Judge 
Lynx gave a hard crunch and stuck tn 
spines in that burr, riglit into his tongue. 
Seme of them went way through. Just at 
that time Sammy Squirrel in the tree over 
head kicked a lump of ice off a big limb 
and it hit Judge Lynx square on the back 
of the neck. He thought Uncle Wolf was 
after him sure. He gave one yell and never 
stopped running till he got home. Mrs. 
Lynx spent the night picking the splinters 
out of his tongue and scolding him, and 
he couldn’t say a word back. It didn’t take 
Cousin Woodchuck long to get back to the 
hole where he curled up and went to sleep. 
As for Simon Snake, Billy Beaver chased 
him to his nest. He made one nip at him 
as Simon went out of sight and bit off a 
couple of joints from his tail. 
The little girls were close to tears wheh 
Judge Lynx found Woodchuck in the snow! 
It was very real to them, and they shout¬ 
ed for joy when that chestnut burr ended 
the hunt. Then, of course, we had to talk 
it over. 
“Cousin Woodchuck was smart!” said thi 
Bud. 
“1 love Cousin Woodchuck.” was the lit¬ 
tle Scion’s comment. 
“That old Simon Snake!” said the larger 
Scion, “I wish I’d been there—with a gun!” 
The Graft is inclined to be practical in 
his view of things. 
“Where did they get the string to tie 
that pine branch on to Brother Rabbit's 
tail?” 
Oh! these why people! They would take 
all the imagination out of a, fellow’s lile 
and leave him tied to a lot of dry facts! 
The good Madame came to my rescue just 
then. 
“Come now—it’s time those children had 
their supper!” 
So the little flock deserts me and gathers 
around the Madame to tell her about the 
story. 
“Oh. Mother,” they say, “what do you 
think? Cousin Woodchuck went to heli 
Billy Beaver and that mean old Simon 
Snake, Mother, told on him and Judge 
Lynx—” 
I don’t know but what I am wrong in 
making a hero of Woodchuck. If that lit¬ 
tle pest should ever appear on the farm 
the children would defend him. We have 
pretty clear records of the doings of Charlie 
Crow, Mr. Mouse, Roger Rat, Johnnie 
Bee, Sister Pullet, Daniel Donkey and 
many other friends! 
Farm Notes.— Our February snowstorm 
this year was a record breaker. The driti 
are piled all over the hills. Zero weather 
set in with it too. There was a carload of 
wood to fill and two big hogs to slaugh¬ 
ter right in the midst of it. . . The first 
arrivals at the farm this year are a calf 
and two little Berkshires. 'i'he calf i.s 
from our oldest heifer, which is developing 
into a fine cow. She will be sold as soon as 
possible. The Berkshires are from a- 
strain or family which i>ersists in giving 
small litters. . . . We shall all be glad 
lo see the snow let go its grip and slip 
down into the streams. By March 1 Win¬ 
ter becomes very monotonous, yet the mud 
and mist which usually accompany it.'; 
exit are worse than the frost and snow. . 
The children are having their teeth 
overhauled, and filled. A dentist can quick¬ 
ly pack away the price of a barrel of ap¬ 
ples in a very small hole in a tooth! I 
believe that the child’s teeth should be 
started right. My own teeth were neglect¬ 
ed and finally 1 got into the hands of a 
dentist who wanted to pull everything in 
sight. He came near doing it. No man 
knows the true value of his teeth until 
they have no value at all. Watch the 
teeth and the ears of the little folks, and 
do not let any ’prentice fool with them! 
H. w. c. 
44 Years 
in use. Improve¬ 
ments keep it al¬ 
ways the best. The 
Gahoon 
Broadcast 
Seeder 
_ BOWS all grains 
and gra-saes, 4 to 8 acres per hour. Saves seed. 
Always distinguished for uniform sowing. 
A BOOK ON SOWING: 
When, How, What, Mow much to sow. Practical 
information of great value to every sower. Mailed 
free for the asking. Send for it to-day. 
Goodell Co.» 14 Main St.Antrim,N.H. 
CLIMAX ENSILAGE and FODDER CUTTERS 
GOOD RESULTS are obtained by rising CLIM.VX 
machines. Yon can fill your silo, ent your dry fo<T(ler 
and pack it away in good shape, far better and in leas 
time, than with any other. Prices no higher than for 
same capacity of otlier makes. Few wearing ptirts; 
therefore cost little to keep in repair. Several .sizes. 
Tell ns what yon want to do and we will tell yon what 
size will suit you. Catalogue free. Write for one. 
THE WARSAW-WILKINSON CO., 
WARSAW, N. Y. 
A f! M F fi^verizing Harrow 
A VIWI El Clod Crusher and Le 
Sizes 
3 T013 1-2 Feet. 
Agents 
Wanted 
Leveler 
SENT ON TRIAL 
To be returned at my expense if not satisfactory. 
The best pulverizer—cheapest Riding Har¬ 
row on earth. We also make walk¬ 
ing Acmes. The Acme 
cnishes, cuts, pulverizes, 
turns and levels all 
soils for all pur¬ 
poses. Made en¬ 
tirely of cast steel 
and wrought iron 
_ , —indestructible. 
Catalog and Booklet, "An Ideal Harrow” by Henry Stewart, mailed free. 
I deliver free on board at New York, Chicago, Colombus, Louisville, Kansas City, Miooeapolls, San Francisco, etc. 
Address DUANE H. NASH. SOLE MANUFACTURER > . MILLINGTON, NEW JERSEY. 
No. e 
Iron Age 
(ombined 
Double 
And Single 
Dbeel 
Hoe 
Hill 
Drill 
Seeder 
Iron Ago 
Double 
oo4 SiogU 
Wheel Ho# 
of the 
Famous 
workers that have made the Iron Age line of farm and garden implements 
known all over the continent. You can make more money this year than last 
If you will decide now to let them help you. Look at the good points of 
Iron Age Implements 
Improved-Robblne 
Figure out how much time, work, seed, fertill- 
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outlay, buying Iron Age implements. 
They have won their way by hon¬ 
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Write for free book. 
No* 60 Iron Ago 
Pivot Whool Cnltlvator. 
BATEMAN MFC. CO.. 
Box 102, 
PFFfl ^ cows or PMOII A^CT at same Q on other 
CAN rCCU 4 STEERS CiraOlLaM^ab cost as O Rations. 
25 to 40 per cent, saved feeding cood .week en.ilaae.aWe furnish you i4TA.VKS, one piece, 
full depth of Milo. Our FBBET book, ‘*Nllo. and Silage,’* has full details, and much 
of Interest to your purse._WILLIAMS MF». CO., Kalamazoo, Mich. 
POPULAR GOODS-POPULAR PRICES. 
(Improved) New Gniversal 
HAND SEEDERS AND CULTIVATDRS. 
f^-yl^S^ablef^evp 
V work. 
All styles. Only combination 1 and 2 wheel cuWvator and 
drill made. Every way adjustable. All our tools have 
tou>fh oak bent handles and are made of best material 
throughout. Send for catalog, describing complete line of 
labor saving specialties. Free. AMES PLOW C( 
STAR PAHERN 
BILLINGS 
Planter and Fertilizer 
FARM CARTS, 
Two Wheel and Four Wheel. 
FOR CORN, 
BEANS, PEAS, 
and 
BEET SEED. 
llay Rig- 
.gings to 
fit our 
Carts. 
Is the latest, and It drops 
at twelve different dis- 
If you want them, we furnish 
Marker and Trip Attach¬ 
ment for rowing l>oth ways. 
., 54 MARKET ST., BOSTON, MASS. 
THE WEAR 
OF RUBBER BOOTS AND 
SHOES DEPENDS UPON 
THE RUBBER IN THEM. 
There is ab-solutely no wear in any of the other ingre¬ 
dients of which they are composed. Every time the 
quality of Rubber Boots and Shoes is reduced 10 per cent., 
the durability is reduced over 20 percent, because there is 
only one way to cheapen them, and that is to leave out 
Rubber and put in its place other things that have no 
wearing quality whatever. This cheapening process has 
been steadily going on for the past 40 years. 
'THE: 
BUCKSKIN BRAND 
OF RUBBER BOOT.S AND NHOEN 
are lUaUe of real rubber—and one pair of ihein 
will 4»iitu ear two pair«4 of the standard tirNt grailent 
now on the market. Try a pair and be convinced. 
Made in Duck Boots, Duck rolled edge Overs for Socks, 
aud Felt Boots and in Arctics and light rubber shoes. 
Insist on getting tlie BUCKSKIN BKAND. None gen¬ 
uine ivlthout the word BUCKSKIN on tiie top front of 
the legs of the hoots and the hottonis of the shoes. 
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profusely illustrated, which describes the mak¬ 
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MONARCH RUBBER GO., 
80 Bridge Street, LAMBERTVILLE. N.J. 
FACTORY, ST. LOUIS, MO. 
NOT MADE BY A TRUST. 
An aetoAl test of a 3-ineh 
strip cut from the sole of 
the Buckskin Boot. Note 
the elasticity and strength 
Only the best Kubber 
will stand a test like this. 
W eight of hoy and swing 
110 lbs. 
