NELLIE M‘GRAVV.

17'

 

“You say that there are several
cows on the farm,” said Nellie. “I
can easily make butter and cheese
enough to pay on‘e man.”

“ Can you make butter and cheese?”
. he asked doubtfully. '

“Yes, sir l ” said Nellie.

“It is only the best quality that will
Command a price That which is infe-
rior never pays for making.”

“ I have taken the prize for the best
butter and cheese making in C . . . . . .
county when I was a girl,” said Nel-
lie, bi-idling a little. “I should be
sorry if I could not make it as well
now.”

-:“ You were brought up on a farm ? ”
said' the lawyer, a little more cor-
dially.

“Yes, sir! on the Burr farm in
T . . . . . .”

“Ohl you were. were you? I’ve
heard of the farm.”

Nellie M’Graw’s promptness and
resolution did not fail of success. The
lawyer, who was agent for asmall farm
of fifty acres which she had seen ad-
vertised to rent, was pleased with her
readiness, and apparent understanding
of what she wished to undertake, and
she was soon installed with her family
in the neat cottage which belonged to
the place. '

The farm was well stocked—the
buildings were in good order. Her
task was to keep them so, and to gain
her support from the land around her,
and pay the moderate rent that was
required. She knew that to do this
she must toil early and late, but she
was ready to do this; and she was re-
warded for her labor by seeing such
objects of comfort about her as she
had not known since her girlhood.
And her children, Gideon and Mag 'e,
was it not a delight to them to bring
in the brimming pails of sweet milk
Which their own hands had drawn, and
see that it was neatly strained into the
shining pans? And then did not

aggie learn promptly where the
Mshould be placed in order to se-
0'1“!: the greatest amount of cream?
Awiilid she ever forget the boiling

    
   

 

water with which the pans, and churn,
and cream dishes were to be scalded,
and allow herself in improvident haste
to rinse them in water but half warm ed?
Not she! She loved neatness and or-
der as much as her mother had ever
done, she was too happy in the rare
comfort with which she was surrounded
to flag in her efforts. How carefully
she sought the eggs among the hay,
and counted them for the market, and
how skillfully she trimmed and planted
the fine vegetable beds in the large
garden, according to her mother’s di-
rection. There were no weeds allowed
to gain place among them ; there was
no soddening and baking of the soil
for want of proper care, and there were
no such vegetables raised in all the
town, as those that grew under the
eye of Nellie M’Graw that year. She
was well informed in 'most matters
pertaining to farm management, and
in what she did not understand she
sought information and found it; first
from her own observation of nature,
which she held to be the first and sur-
est source of knowledge, and beyond
this, from the observation and informa-
tion of others.
a a * a c: 1:

Years passed away. The original
owner of the farm, who had rented it
that he might go south for his health,
had (lied there, and been borne to his '
rest. in a land of strangers. And the
farm was sold, andNellie was the pur-
chaser. Little by little, and by close
and prudent management was the ur-
chase made, but it was done at ast,
and the farm was hers, and Nellie
M’Graw was a happier woman than
she had ever been before. A railroad
had been opened near her since she
took the farm, thus increasing her fa-
cilities for market; an opportunity of
which Nellie knew well how to avail
herself. By close watching and seleQ'”.
tron of seed and careful management,‘
she always produced the earliest and
freshest vegetables, and secured'the
highest rice. And so it was with her
fruits. ‘here was little in market 01'
such good quality, or sent insuch good

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