“Oh, law, no!  Hain’t used it this twenty years.  Make all the cheese at the factory.  It’s kind of a queer old thing and I thought maybe you would like to see it.  ’Tain’t likely you will ever see another just like it.”

“Would you be willing to sell it?”

“Of course, I’d be willing enough, only it don’t seem just right to sell a thing that ain’t good for anything but firewood.  However, if you really want it you may have it for a dollar and a-half, and I’ll have the hired men load it up for you.”

“Now, really, Miss Bessie,” said Jim, when the farmer had gone to call the men, “don’t you think it’s rather a clumsy affair?  We can hardly get it into the express wagon, and I don’t see where they can put it if we carry it home.”

“Clumsy! no, indeed, it’s massive, it’s grand!  There will be plenty of room in the new house.  They will have one entire room for bric-a-brac.”

“But what can they do with it?  They won’t make cheese.”

“Can’t you see what a delicious cabinet it will make?  These posts and things can all be carved and decorated, and it will be perfectly unique.  There isn’t such a cabinet in the whole city of New York.  Oh, I think our trip has been an immense success already.  I shall always believe in horseshoes after this; but isn’t it a pity we can’t carry home the well-sweep?”

The huge machine had to be taken from the shed chamber in sections, but was properly put together again in the wagon by the hired men, and made the turnout look like a small traveling juggernaut.  Just before starting:  Bessie espied, leaning against the fence, a hen-coop from which the feathered family had departed, and explaining to Jim that if the sides were painted red and the bars gilded it would be a charming ornament for the front porch, persuaded him to add that to their already imposing load.  Then they departed, leaving the farmer and his men in doubt whether to advertise a pair of escaped lunatics or accept their visitors as “highly cultured” members of modern society.

When they reached home Jack had just come in from the office.  He looked out of the window as they drove up, felt his strength suddenly give way, and rolled on the floor in convulsions.

“Less than five dollars for the whole lot, did you say, Jim?  I wouldn’t have missed seeing that load for fifty.”

The next day was Sunday.  Monday afternoon Bessie went home.

CHAPTER XIII.

ECONOMY, CLEANLINESS AND HEALTH.