$50,000 from a 6,000-acre corn farm in Iowa.
A few months later there appeared in the same magazine another
article, the purport of which was that great wealth, whether it be
obtained from farming, the mining of coal, the manufacture of steel or
the selling of merchandise, is the exception, while the man, in
whatever calling, who rears and educates a family and at the same time
lays by a small competence is the normal American product. The moral
is that a $500-a-year-income farm is a more important factor to the
national welfare than a $50,000-a-year-income farm.

In the latter article the writer tells of two brothers who had been
reared on a Michigan farm. Reuben was tired of the country. He went to
the city and apprenticed himself to a harnessmaker. Against the advice
of young friends, Lucien bought sixty acres of land and ran in debt
for it.

In a year Reuben was earning a dollar a day. He wore a white shirt and
pointed shoes, not because they were more comfortable, but because
other people did. He had no debts. Lucien had fair crops, but they
yielded no more than enough to pay interest on the mortgage. He wore a
ragged shirt, patched breeches and cowhide boots. People said that
Reuben was making a gentleman of himself and learning a trade in the
bargain.

In two years, Reuben had completed his apprenticeship. He was now
earning $10 a week. He lived in a house that had a fancy veranda and
green blinds. His clothing improved. Lucien was still ragged, but he
paid his interest and $300 each year upon the principal. People said
that Reuben, the harnessmaker, was bound to come to the front.

In ten years more, Reuben was still foreman of the shop at $50 a
month. He lived in the same house, and smoked Havana cigars. Lucien
built a new house and a barn. He smoked a pipe. The neighbors saw that
every year he made some improvement on the farm. He wore a white shirt
when he went to town, and he had a pair of button shoes. People said
that Lucien was becoming a prominent man. His word was good at the
bank.

Reuben began to complain that harnessmaking was too confining. His
health was breaking down. The proprietor was selfish. He would not die
and leave the business to him. Harnessmaking was not what it used to
be. Lucien bought more land. He went fishing when he wanted to. Reuben
came out now and then to spend Sunday. The birds seemed to sing more
sweetly than ever before and the grass was greener. Lucien endorsed
Reube