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Main > Fairy tale > All authors > Frank Baum > Fairy tale "Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville"

Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville

"John," said the Major, exhibiting this letter, "you're on the wrong

tack. The man is justified in thinking we're crazy. Give up this idea

and think of something else to bother me."

But the new proprietor of the Wegg farm was obdurate. During the past

week he had indulged in sundry sly purchases, which had been shipped, in

his name to Chazy Junction, the nearest railway station to Millville.

Therefore, the "die had been cast," as far as Mr. Merrick was concerned,

for the purchases were by this time at the farm, awaiting him, and he

could not back out without sacrificing them. They included a set of

gardening tools, several hammocks, croquet and tennis sets, and a

remarkable collection of fishing tackle, which the sporting-goods man

had declared fitted to catch anything that swam, from a whale to a

minnow. Also, Uncle John decided to dress the part of a rural gentleman,

and ordered his tailor to prepare a corduroy fishing costume, a suit of

white flannel, one of khaki, and some old-fashioned blue jean overalls,

with apron front, which, when made to order by the obliging tailor, cost

about eighteen dollars a suit. To forego the farm meant to forego all

these luxuries, and Mr. Merrick was unequal to the sacrifice. Why, only

that same morning he had bought a charming cottage piano and shipped it

to the Junction for Patsy's use. That seemed to settle the matter

definitely. To be balked of his summer vacation on his own farm was a

thing Mr. Merrick would not countenance for a moment.

"Give me that letter, Major," he said; "I'll run this enterprise

myself."

The Major resigned with a sigh of relief.

Uncle John promptly sent the real estate agent a draft for five hundred

dollars, with instructions to get the farm in shape for occupancy at the

earliest possible day.

"If Old Hucks is a farm hand and a bachelor," he wrote, "let him stay

till I come and look him over. If he's a married man and has a family,

chuck him out at once. I'm sure you are a man of good taste and

judgment.

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