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Show THE UINTAH BASIN FARMER It was rather obvious to Mrs. Bonner to" It as the fanners creameries in that Jennie was throwing herself at Wisconsin and Minnesota get taf Jims head, but that was an article of theirs. Thats a fact, Olaf, said Jim. the Bonner family creed since the deHow do you kids know so darned at the cision which closed the hearing much about It? queried Peta that admitted be must court house. It Weve sniffed Bettina. Huh! the young county superintendent letand. about schoobeen writing It the which reading found tasks kept ters about It, and figuring percentages lmaster very close to her side. Sit down, Jim." said Mrs. Woodruff, on it In school all winter. Weve dona and gram youve earned a bite of what we'va arithmetic and geography on It" else what know mar and I dont got. Its good enough, what there is of said schoolin," It Im as Well, agin any it, and theres enough of it, such In smarter kids makes that Pete, is ! their and their a farmin than parents Ive but said Jim, Im sorry, prior engagement." Why, Jiml protested Jennie. Ive been counting on you. Dont desert mel" Im awfully sorry," said Jim, but promised Ill see you later." One might have thought. Judging by the colonels quizzical smile, that he was pleased ' at Jennies loss of her former swain. Well have to Invite him longer ahead of time," said he. Hes getting to be In demand." Jim seemed to be In demand a fact that Jennie confirmed by observation. He received a dozen Invitations as he passed the groups seated on the grass one of them from Mrs. Cornelius Bonner, who saw no particular point The in advertising disgruntlement. children ran to him and clung to his hands; young girls gave him sisterly smiles and such trifles as chicken drumsticks, pieces of cake and like tidbits. Ills passage to the numerous group at a square table under a big burr oak was quite an ovation an ovation of the significance of which he was himself quite unaware. But Jennie the daughter of a politician and a promising one herself Jennie sensed the fact that Jim Irwin had won something from the people of the Woodruff district In the way or deference. Still he was the gangling, n Lincolnian, Jim Irwin of old, but Jennie had no longer the feeling that ones standing was somewhat compromised by association with him. He had begun to put on something mor significant than clothes, something which he had possessed all the time, but which heeame valid only as It was publicly apprehended. He was clearly the central figure of his group, In which she recognized the Bronsons, those queer children from Tennessee the Simmses, the Talcotts, the Hansens, the Hamms and Colonel Woodruffs hired man, Pete, whose other name Is not recorded. Jim sat down between Bet tins Hansen, a flaxen-haireyoung Brunhllde of seventeen, and Calista Simms Jennie saw him do It, while listening to Wilbur Smythes account of the exacting nature of the big law practice he was building up and would have been glad to exchange places with Bettina. The repast drew to a close ; and over by the burr oak the crowd had grown to a circle surrounding Jim Irwin. He seems to be making an address," said Wilbur Smythe. Well, Wilbur," replied the colonel, you had the first shot at us. Suppose we move over and see whats under discussion." As they approached the group, they heard Jim Irwin answering something which hi ra Bronson had said. You think so, Ezra," said he, and it seems reasonable that big creameries like those at Omaha. Sioux City, Des Moines and the other centralizer points can make butter cheaper than we would do here but weve the s that ahow that they arent economical." They cant mnke good butter, for one thing," said Newton Bronson cock-Hy- . I right. I wouldnt want to drive a good team to death for any young hoodlum All right, bow much do I Never thought of It," replied Bron- like him son. I haint had the phone only n owe you. Doc?" few years. Drive faster I" I waut to get there, or I would," CHAPTER XV answered the doctor. Dont worry. The Glorious Fourth. From what your wife told me over the I eaten believe the boys dont Agood deal of water ran under the phone I Woodruff and district bridges in the weeks have more than any strychnine school election and the between the so much." not probably Fourth of July picnic at Eight-Mil- e He was alive, then? ' Alive and making an argument grove. But few surface Indications against tuking the emetic, replied the there were of any change In the little doctor. But I guess she got It down community In this annual gathering of friends and neighbors. Wilbur Smythe him.' Thus reassured, Sir. Bronson was made the annual address, and was In calm, even if somewhat tragic In calm- rather finer fettle than usual as he ness, when he entered the death cham- paid his fervid tribute to the starry ber with the doctor. Newton was sit- flag, and to this very place as the ting up, his eyes wet, and his face most favored spot In the best counpale. II is mother had won the argu- ty of the greatest state in the most ment, and Newton had lost his dinner. powerful. Intellectual, freest and most Haakon I'etersou occupied an arm- progressive nation In the best possible of worlds. chair. Jim Irwin read the Declaration Whats all this? asked the doctor. rather well, Jennie Woodruff thought, How are you feeling. Newt? Any as she sat on the platform between pain?" Im all right," said Newton. Dont Deacon Avery, the oldest settler In the give me any more o that nasty stuff!" district, and Mrs. Columbus Brown, "No," said the doctor, but If you the sole local representative of the dont tell me just what youve been Daughters of the American Revolution. Colonel Woodruff presided In his eating, and doing, and pulling off on Grand Army of the Republic uniform. us. Ill use this and the doctor exThe fresh northwest breeze made hibited a huge stomach pump. free with onks, elms, hickories and Whatll you do with that?" asked box elders the Eight-Milof grove, and the Newton faintly. waters of Pickerel creek glimmered Ill put tlds down into your hold, a hundred yards away, beyond the and unload you, thats what Ill do." Is the election over. Mr. Peterson?" flitting figures of the boys who preferred to shoot off their own firecrackasked Newton. ers and torpedoes and nigger-chaserYes, answered Sir. Peterson, "and rather than to listen to those of Wilbur the votes counted. Smythe. Still farther off could be Whos elected? asked Newton. heard the voice of a lone lemonade Colonel Woodruff," answered Mr. vender as he advertised d lemPeterson. The vote was twelve to in the shade, with a made onade, eleven." brand-nespade, by an old maid, as Well, dad," said Newton, I spose a that It was the guaranty youll be sore, but the only way I could coldest lemonade ever sold. blamedest, see. to get In half a vote for Colonel Under the shadiest trees a few InWoodruff was to get poisoned and Marthas were spreading the send you after the doctor. If youd corrigibletable-cloth- s on which would snowy gone, it would V been a tie, anyhow, soon be the bountiful repasts placed and probably youd a persuaded some- stored In ponderous wicker baskets body Jo change to Bonner. Thats and hampers. It was a In whats the matter with me. I killed n lovely spot a good lovely day, of the example your vote. Now, you can do whatever miniature forests which grew naturalyou like to me but Pm sorry I scared ly from time Immemorial In favored mother." locations on the Iowa prairies half a Ezra Bronson seized Newton by the square mile of woodland, all about throat, but Ids. fingers failed to close. whlcirthe green corn rows stood aslant Dont pinch, dad, said Newton. Tve In the cool breeze, waist-higand laid been using that neck nn its tired." by." Mr. Bronson dropped his hands to his They were passing down the rough sides, glared ut his son for a moment board 6teps from the platform after and breathed u sigh of relief. the exercises had terminated In s Why, you darned Infernal little rousing rendition of "America," when Ive a notion to take Jennie Woodruff, hnving slipped by fool, said he. to you! If Id been there everybody else to reach him, tapped haruestrnp the vote would have been eleven to Jim Irwin on the arm. lie looked back at her over his shoulder with his slow thirteen 1" There was plenty .votes there for gentle smile. the colonel. If he needed em,' said Isnt your mother here, Jim?" she Haakon, whose politicians mind was asked. "Ive been locking all over already fully adjusted to the changed the crowd and cant see her." conditions. "She Isn't here," answered Jim. I Ay tank the Woodruff district will have a junanlmous school was In hopes that when she broke loose board from dls time on once more. and went to your Christmas dinner she Colonel Woodruff Is yus the man we would stny loose but she went home Lave needed." und settled back Into her rut." "1 m with you there," said Bronson. "Too bad, said Jennie. Shed have And us for you, young man, If one or had a nice time If she had come." both of them horses Is hurt hy the run Yes," said Jim. "I believe she I give them, I'll lick jou within an would." Inch of your life Here comes Hilly "I want help," said Jennie. "Oar I guess now em all driving they're hamper Is terribly heavy. Please 1" e s, Ice-col- h over-stricke- d . fig-are- hired men. Gi me another swig o that lemonade, Jim I You see," said Jim to his audience, meanwhile pouring the lemonade, the centralizer creamery is uneconomic In several ways. It has to pay excessive transportation charges. It has to pay excessive commissions to Us cream buyers. It has to accept cream without proper inspection, and mixes the good with the bad. It makes such long shipments that the cream spoils In transit and lowers the quality of the butter. It cant make the bes use of the buttermilk. All these losses and leaks the farmers have to stand. I can prove and so can the six or eight pupils In the Woodruff school who have been working on the cream question this winter that we could make at least 6ix cents a pound on our butter if we had a creamery and all sent our cream to It." let's; Well," said Ezra Bronson, parents start one." go In." said Olaf Hansen. . Me, too," said Con Bonne.-- Ill There was a general chorus of assent. Jim had convinced his audience. Hes got the jury," said VTlbut Smythe to Colonel Woodruff. and right Yes," said the colonel, here Is where he runs Into danger. Can he handle the crowd when Iti with him?" Well," said Jim, I think we ought to organize one, hut Ive another proposition first. Lets get together and pool our cream. By that, I mean that well all sell to the same creamery, and get the best we can out of the centralizers by the method. We can save two cents a to pound In that way, and well learn found When we have Just how well we can hang together, well be able to take up the creamery, with less danger of falling apart and failing." Wholl handle the pool?" Inquired Mr. Hansen. Well handle It In the school." answered Jim. Schools about done," objected Mr. Bronson. Wont the cream pool pretty near pay the expenses of running the school all summer? asked Bonner. We ought to run the school plant Its the only all the time," said Jim. way to get full value of the Investwork, ment. And weve corn-clu- b work, poultry work and canning-cluwork which make It very desirable to keep In session with only a weeks vacation. If youll add the cream pool, It will make the school crowd In the the hardest and doing actual farm work, too. I like Mr. Bonners suggestion." Well. said Haakon Peterson, who had Joined the group, Ay tank wa better have a meelng of the board and dlscusa It." Well, darn It," said Columboa Brown, I want In on this cream pool and I live outside the district 1" Well let you in. Clumb," said the ta pig-clu- b b dls-trl- colonel. (TO BIS CONTINUED.) Loosens a Stopper. To loosen a glass stopper In a bottle one or two drops of sweet oil "Why cant they?" asked Olaf Han- put around the stopper and place It a litsen, the father of Bettina. "Well," said Newton, "they have to tle distance from the fire. When the have so much cream that theyve got bottle Is quite warm strike the stopper to ship it so far that It gets rotten on with o stick with a cloth wrapped the way, and they have to renovate It tightly around It, first on one side and with lime and other Ingredients be- then on the other. This wJI loosen even the most obstinate stopper. fore they can churn It." Well," said Raymond Simms, "I reckon they sell their butter to' all Its Easy on Temper. an Loafing Is easy on the temper; give wuth; they calnt get within from foah to seven cents a pound as much anything Its due. |