A Lively Chapter On Roads

Thai nigllt, wlum Hnbmirc liad tintóUed nis' work at bttfi fea, " sai together and Binofced: I frhought ït was a gwd linie ín talk wïUi Hub■niii-r ab'.nn the roads; o 1 suested to him ti'.at he oould do all nis plowing aad tem work wii-li two hor, and if there was a goí herd road ruiming down to tho'village he niigUt do all lus teamtng without addtag to tliat aiuinber; that He was now feeding five horses when two or three onght to be enoógli. "Now (ton't," sáid Hubmivo, "don't teil nu: I've at tob ma.ny horst-s; l tliiuk 1 knrnv n thinfe two bout farmin'. and l tril yU I Imin't got horses enougli. My bay team wlll haul a smashln 'toad o? hay to town any day and tíiátis all any mane team '11 da. I t-ell yöu I atn't askLng tor brttcr roads tlia.n we've got Hght here in tl.is tawnsbip." Hubinire bhiake a good deal c.ï WmseM ■and is a hard man to oonvlnce. He aever takés a drink at the town pump without flret rhising the dipper, insid? and out. and in matter.s oí ari-umimt Iu' i ]ust ,i.s uitious QOt to be contaniinated by Biispicious ideaB. ButI libe Hubmire. .We've had many a u-o-o.l days' lnlnt together in oíd tunee, mil ['ve found liim a good compamion and a humane örteinan. He is ni honeet man.and a good husbanrt, .,,,,! Bhere'a alwaya fiope íor a man life tliat. So I kept np the ttghfc. I said to Mm: "Hubmire, you are wromg. 1 knoiv you keep good horses; taere ture noñtí better in the county; everytliins about your farm is in the best condition, and thore isn't a farmer in the country who has done inore lwird -vvork in the last twenty years than yoai liave done. Everything that yoni have found to bo of value to the farmer you have added .to your possessions, a.n-1 i? I could show you that a good road is the one thing neoeseary to Improve your .prosperity, you would bc Ilu; loudest preaclier for Improved roadle in this state. I have been looidnig it up, and 1 liave at (houw reporte írom more tlian frwenty Buropean countries ï-elating to tlwir inteïnal affairs. In those counta-ies the farmers prosper lm about the same proportion that prosperity follows other lines of businese; agrlculture holdts its own, and there is 110 moo'e independent elass of poople in Shose oountriee than the farmers." "Now, singularly enonigh, the mosi tetriking dlííerenee between thoee comnbriee ;uh1 ours ia taund in the condition Of the country roaite. Wlth liiem communicatiooi is easy and qulekly accomplisliiMl. Their gavernmente, in-, .ui of rolling up and hoarding arifliculoua surplus, spend large siims in the building and repairing of the comntry ï'oadK. The reeult is tiiat in Europe the farmers can .drive 20 fco 30 ■miles frO'm home to marker wit'a i'inïnense ioads-, in all kinds of weather, at all seaeone od bh ■ year, and return!(me the saine day. The European lwrse haule twice as much as an American horee, simply becauee the ï-oails are miich better. nis own■ ;i vis; t "nis neighbors a.1 any time; diivi' to t'own; iiuikc social calis and ■cnjny all the personal iidvantagi's i a, resident of the city. and still maintain the Iadependence and enjoy the pleaeuree of country life." "Nansense," eaid Hubmirc, "I'd like to eee tlie fairyland you'ro talking aJbOTit. I have got íive as good horses as ever pulled a 8 trap, and I know limv to take care oí the in. I don't drive to town cxceptlng when the voads are good, and then, for liauling loiads, my horses won'-t take a back seat lar any man." "Hubmire," eaid I, wlfh somc impatienoe, "I eee we can never agreo , dn this question till ave settle one important difference. You say you nevea- dri-c to town until the roads are goort. Noiv, leaving out tüe lact tliat van are losing plenty of good cime while you wait for tho mud to dry up. just teil me wtoeut yon cali a good road." "Well," said Hubmire, "any road is good enough for my horses wlicn the mud begins to stifïen up s it will pack and ixll under .tlie wlieel." "Thoa let me teil yon, Hubmiro," said I, "tlxat yo'U dou't know what a good road is. You never saw a good road In all your lifo. A good tosa ha,s no mud to dry, roll or pack. It is hard and stays hard and tsmootli at all tira?s oí the ycar, and "wfaen once maxls it is eaeler and cheaptr to kjep in repair than any dirt road you ever saw." But Hubmire Diivly smited in hi.s oud natured, doubting way, lightod hi.s pipe and went out to' see tlwit everything about the place vas nnug and secure for the night.