Aunt Janes Nieces at Work | Page 6

on the rocks?"
demanded the boy angrily.
"O' course," replied the man, with a grin of amusement. "I can't farm
the rocks, can I? An' these 'ere signs pays me ten dollars a year, each."
Kenneth groaned.
"I'll give you fifteen dollars a year each if you'll let me wash off the
letters and restore the scene to its original beauty," he declared.
"I'm willin'," was the response. "But ye see they're contracted. I'd git
into trouble with the sign-painter."
"Who is he?"
"Lives in Cleveland. I've got his name up t' th' house, if you'll come
along. He comes up here every spring and paints fences an' rocks,
payin' spot cash fer th' privilege."
"Oh, I see."
"Then he contracts with the soap man an' the medicine man to paint up
their ads. You're the young 'un from Elmhurst, ain't ye?"
"Yes."
"Well, I'd like to earn that extra five, well enough. My name's Parsons.
I've got three signs let on my property in the glen. Ef ye'll jest ride up t'
the house I'll giv' ye the feller's name."
"All right. Come along," said Kenneth, with sudden resolve.
The farmer rode a time in silent thought. He could not go fast, for the
beast was very lame. Finally he remarked:
"Ef ye buy up the sign painters, so's ye can wash off the letters, like
enough ye'll hev to pay him fer th' paint an' paintin', too."

"I don't mind," was the response.
The farmer chuckled. Here was an interesting adventure, for a fact.
What on earth could possess the "young 'un" from Elmhurst to object to
signs, and be willing to pay for having them erased?
"Like enough ye'll hev to pay back the money the soap an' medicine
men guv th' painter, too," he hazarded.
"Like enough," said Kenneth, grimly.
One of his stubborn moods had seized him. At all hazards he was
resolved to eliminate those ugly signs.
He got the name of the sign painter, accepted a glass of buttermilk at
the farm house, and then rode slowly home by another route, so that he
might not have to face the signs again.
But on this route he saw even more. They were painted on the fences
and barns as he passed along. He scowled at each one, but they did not
appear to him quite so inharmonious as those which marred the more
picturesque and retired spots which were his favorite haunts.
CHAPTER III
DON QUIXOTE
When Kenneth got home he told Mr. Watson of his discovery and
asked the old gentleman to write to the sign painter and find out what
could be done. The lawyer laughed heartily at his young friend's whim,
but agreed to help him.
"If you are going to try to prevent rural advertising," he remarked,
"you'll find your hands full."
Kenneth looked up smiling.
"Thank you," he said.

"For what?"
"For finding me something to do. I'm sick of this inaction."
Again the lawyer laughed.
"What is your idea?" he asked.
"To remove such eyesores as advertising signs from the neighborhood
of Elmhurst."
"It's a Titan's task, Ken."
"So much the better."
The lawyer grew thoughtful.
"I believe it's impossible," he ventured.
"Better yet. I don't say I'll succeed, but I promise to try. I want
something to occupy myself--something really difficult, so that I may
test my own powers."
"But, my dear boy! This foolish proposition isn't worthy your effort. If
you want to be up and doing we'll find something else to occupy your
mind."
"No, Mr. Watson; I'm set on this. It's a crime to allow these signs to
flaunt themselves in our prettiest scenes. My instinct revolts at the
desecration. Besides, no one else seems to have undertaken the task of
exterminating them."
"True enough. If you're serious, Ken, I'll frankly say the thing can't be
done. You may, perhaps, buy the privilege of maintaining the rocks of
the glen free from advertising; but the advertisers will paint more signs
on all the approaches, and you won't have gained much."
"I'll drive every advertising sign out of this country."

"Impossible. The great corporations who control these industries make
their fortunes by this style of advertising. The rural districts are their
strongholds. And they must advertise or they can't sell their products."
"Let them advertise in decent ways, then. What right has any soap
maker to flaunt his wares in my face, whether I'm interested in them or
not?"
"The right of custom. People have submitted to these things so long
that the manufacturers consider themselves justified in covering every
barn, rock and fence with their signs. I see no way to stop them."
"Nor I, at present. But there must be a way."
"Drive out one, and another will take his place. They pay liberally for