约翰一行人到达农场后都非常开心。他无意间想看报纸的举动激发了三个侄女想办一份报纸的想法，之后他和三个侄女就办报纸一事进行了热烈的讨论……
The great enterprise was sprung on Mr.Merrick the very morning following his arrival at the farm.Breakfast was over and a group had formed upon the shady front lawn，wherechairs，benches and hammocks were scattered in profusion.
"Well，Uncle，how do you like it？"asked Louise."Are you perfectly comfortable and happy，now we've escaped so far from the city that its humminga life is a mere memory？""Happy as a clamb，"responded Uncle John，leaning back in his chair with his feet on a foot rest."If I only had the morning paper there would be nothing else to wish for.""The paper ？That's what that queer tramp at the JunctionHouse asked for，"remarked Beth."The ？rst thought of even a hobo was for a morning paper.I wonder why men are such slaves to those gossipy things.""Phoo ！"cried Patsy；"we're all slaves to them.Show me aperson who doesn't read the daily journals and keep abreast of the timesc and I'll show you a dummy.""Patsy's right，"remarked Arthur Weldon."The generalintelligence and cosmopolitand knowledge of the people are best cultivated by the newspapers.The superiority of our newspapers has been a factor in making us the greatest nation on earth，for we are the best informed.""My，what big words！"exclaimed Louise.
"It is quite true，"said Uncle John soberly，"that I shall miss our daily paper during our four months'retirement in these fascinating wilds.It's the one luxury we can't enjoy in our country retreat.""Why not？"asked Patsy，with startling abruptness，whilea queer expression—as of an inspiration—stole over her bright face.
"Chump！"said Beth，drily；"you know very well whynot，Patsy Doyle.Mooley cows and the fourth estatea don't intermingle，so to speak.""They can be made to，though，"declared Patsy."Why hasn't some one thought of it before？Uncle John—girls！—I propose we start a daily paper."Louise laughed softly，Beth's lip curled and ArthurWeldon cast an amused glance at the girl；but Uncle John stared seriously into Patsy's questioning blue eyes.
"How？"he asked in a puzzled tone.If anything couldinterest this eccentric little millionaire more than the usual trend of events it was an original proposition of this sort.He loved to do things that other people had not attempted，nor even thought of.He hated conversational platitudesb and established conventions，and his nieces had endeared themselves to him more by their native originalityc and frank disregard of ordinary feminine limitations than in any otherway.It was generally conceded that Patsy was his favorite because she could advance more odd suggestions than the other girls，and this niece had a practical aptitude for carrying out her whimsical ideas that had long since won her uncle's respect.Not that she could outdoa Mr.Merrick in eccentricityb：thatwas admitted to be his special province，in which he had norival；but the girl was so clever a confederate that she gave her erratic uncle much happiness of the sort he most appreciated.
Therefore，this seemingly preposterous propositionto establish a daily paper on a retired country farm did not strike the old gentleman as utterly impossible，and anything within the bounds of possibility was sure to meet his earnest consideration，especially when it was proposed by one of his favorite nieces.
"How？"responded Patsy；"why，it's easy enough，Uncle.
We'll buy a press，hire a printer，and Beth and Louise will help me edit the paper.I'm sure I can exhibit literary talents of a high order，once they are encouraged to sprout.Louise writes lovely poetry and 'stories of human interest，'and Beth—""I can't write even a good letter，"asserted that younglady；"but I'd dearly love to edit a newspaper.""Of course，"agreed Louise；"we all would.And I think we could turn out a very creditable paper—for Millville.But wouldn't it cost a lot of money ？""That isn't the present question，"replied Uncle John.
