“But I must tell you what I know to be the truth,” she went on quickly.  “The older fields that your grandfather cultivated are less productive now than when he received them from our generous government.  Indeed, it was your father’s plan to continue to farm here only for a few years longer until he could save enough to enable him, with what we could have gotten from the sale of our own forty, to go farther west and purchase a large farm of virgin soil.  He realized, my Son, that even that part of his father’s farm that was first put under cultivation was becoming distinctly reduced in productiveness.  He remembered, too, the stories often repeated by your grandfather of the run-down condition of the once exceedingly fertile soils of the Mohawk Valley and other parts of New York State.

“And you know, Percy, there were many Dutch farmers settled in New York.  They were probably the best farmers among all who came to America from the Old World.  I have heard your grandfather explain their use of crop rotation, and they understood well the value of clover and farm fertilizers.  But with all of their skill and knowledge, the land grew poor, and now the very farm upon which Grandpa was born is not worth as much as the actual cost of the farm buildings.  I hope you will consider all of this.  The farm life is so unpromising for you, and there are such great opportunities for success in other lines.  Still I feel that you must decide this question for yourself my Son, but tell me why you would choose the life and work of a farmer?”

CHAPTER III

LINCOLN S VIEW OF AGRICULTURE

Percy had listened without interrupting, grieved at her disappointment, and open to any reasoning that might change his mind.

“Mother dearest,” he said, “it was a year ago that you said I would have only till this fail to decide upon my college course and that it should be a special preparation for my life work.  I have given much thought to it.  You said that I should choose for myself, and I have not consulted much with others, but I have tried to consider the matter from different points of view.

“You know the Christmas present you gave me of the Lincoln books?”

“Yes, I know, and you have read them so much.  I could not get you many books, but I knew there could be nothing better for my boy to read than the thoughts of that noble man.  But, Percy dear, Lincoln was a lawyer, and he rose from the lowest walk in life to the highest position in the country, and with much less preparation than my own boy will have.  Suppose he had remained a farmer!  Surely no such success could ever have been reached.  I am not so foolish as to have any such high hopes for you.  Percy; but if you can only put yourself in the way of opportunity; and make such preparation as you can to fill with credit some position of responsibility that may be offered you!  I had truly hoped that your study of Lincoln’s life would influence yours.  To me Lincoln was the noblest of all the noble men of our history, and I doubt not of all history, save Him who came to redeem the world.”