things which were of importance to
me, that their efforts might be intelligent and direct; and I was glad
to enter into their schemes, either for pleasure or for profit, with
such aid as I could give. Cordial understanding between employee and
employer puts life into the contract, and disposes of perfunctory
service, which simply recognizes a definite deed for a definite
compensation. Uninterested labor leaves a load of hay in the field to be
injured, just because the hour for quitting has come, while interested
labor hurries the hay into the barn to make it safe, knowing that the
extra half-hour will be made up to it in some other way.

It pays the farmer to take his help into a kind of partnership, not
always in his farm, but always in his consideration. That is why my
farm-house was filled with papers and magazines of interest to the men;
that is why I spent many an evening with them talking over our
industries; that is why I purchased an organ for them when I found that
Mrs. French, the dairymaid, could play on it; that is why I talked
economy to them and urged them to place some part of each month's wage
in the Exeter Savings Bank; and that is why, early in 1898, I formulated
a plan for investing their wages at a more profitable rate of interest.
I asked each one to give me a statement of his or her savings up to
date. They were quite willing to do this, and I found that the aggregate
for the eight men and three women was $2530. Anderson, who saved most of
his wages, had an account in a city savings bank, and did not join us in
our syndicate, though he approved of it.

The money was made up of sums varying from $90, Lena's savings, to $460
owned by Judson, the buggy man. My proposition was this: Pool the funds,
buy Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific stock, and hold it for one or two
years. The interest would be twice as much as they were getting from
the bank, while the prospect of a decided advance was good. I said to
them:--

"I have owned Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific stock for more than
three years. I commenced to buy at fifty-seven, and I am still buying,
when I can get hold of a little money that doesn't have to go into this
blessed farm. It is now eighty-one, and it will go higher. I am so sure
of this that I will agree to take the stock from each or all of you at
the price you pay for it at any time during the next two years. There is
no risk in this proposition to you, and there may be a very handsome