isa-normaladvance-1909-00104

Description:	104THE NORMAL ADVANCEAlright, he answered, they aint a betterun round.They first visited the garden. Here theywere shown, among other things, some whiteblackberries, seedless raspberries and eyelesspotatoes.In the green house the most interestingthings were the orchids and the cacti.Now, lets go to the barn-yard, suggestedEm.As they passed through the gate they sawseveral dozen peacocks sunning themselves.Tothe right were the hogs.Oh, Uncle, how clean your pigs are! exclaimed Emily. How do you do it?Ivory Soap, was the laconic reply. Theofficers call once a week.Arent they cute? thought Em.Now, lets look at the ostriches, said Si.Ostriches? gasped Em.Yep! returned Uncle, Its cheaper anbuyin feathers for the womens hats, and itsa little more up-to-date than chicken raisin!What a fine lot of birds they are, said Al,gazing at them.But, Uncle, demanded Em, how do youget the different colors?Oh, thats easy, he returned. Jest feed emgreen glass bottles, or rubber boots, or bricks,an so on. If you want pink, why soak thebricks in distilled water.But what about those plaid ones? Thisfrom Al.Will ye promise not to tell?They promised.Well, he said, slowly, jest feed em billposters or Diamond Dyes.Al and Em looked at each other.Havent you any cows? inquired Al. \Youre durned right, I have, replied Corntassel.They entered the barn. The cows turnedand eyed them.Now, Ill show you how we milk em, saidSi. He strapped an apparatus around thenearest cow, pressed a button, and the milkingwas done in a jiffy.The sun-dial now pointed to 12:30, so theywent to the house. As they passed the backportico they spied Daniel Boone Corntassel,lying at full length, and reading what seemedto be a five-cent yellow back, but what provedto be nothing more than a pamphlet on how tospend money.After lunch had been eaten, and a nap taken,they went to see what Si termed to be, thebest thing of the hull shootin match. It wasa motor-plow.Aint she a dinger? he asked Al.You bet she is, was the reply.The plow was taken into the vacant lot backof the green house. That lot had already beenplowed and re-plowed. Si seated himselffirmly, spit twice, then rammed the forwardspeed. Several tremors passed down the spinalcolumn of the plow. Uncle was out using hisscrew-driver. Pears to be something the matter with herlungs, he said. Oh, I see now. Al you goan get that can of alcyhol.Uncle got under the plow and was fixing,now this, now that. Suddenly there was ablood-curdling shriek from Emily. Smatter? demanded Si, from beneath theplow.A snake! A snake! cried the girl, interror.Si hurried out, seized a rock, and peeredabout.Where?Right there, she whispered weakly, pointing a quivering finger toward the fence.A rather good-sized snake was making itsway leisurely toward the next field. Si lookedfrom it to Em, then broke into roars oflaughter.Law, girl, he said. That snake wouldnthurt nothing. I was just reading yesterday ina scientific paper, an article on the value ofreptiles as an insect an vermin destroyer. So,Ill let em alone as long as they let me.Al now came back carrying the can.The plow received a liberal dose. Corntassel got in again, and started. The plow
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/34134
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

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