This simple incident cheered Kenneth more than you might suppose，and he was actually whistling as he rode through the glen，where the country road wound its way beside the noisy，rushing stream.
Pausing in front of the picturesqued "table rock"that he had come to inspect，the boy uttered an exclamatione of chagrinf and disappointment.Painted broadly upon the face of the rock，in great white letters，was the advertisement of a patent medicine.The beauty of the scene was ruined—only theglaring advertisement caught and held the eye of the observer.
At ？rst Kenneth's mind held only a feeling of disgust that such a desecrationa of Nature's gifts to humanity should be allowed.Then he remembered another place further along the glen which was almost as pretty as this had been before the defilingb brush of the advertiser had ruined it.So he spurred his horse and rode up the winding way to the spot.There a red—lettered announcement of "Simpson's Soap"stared him in the face.
This was too much for his temper，and his disappointmentquickly turned to resentment.While he sat on his mare，considering the matter，the man with the lame horse，whom he had passed，overtook him.
"Can you tell me，"Kenneth asked，"who owns this property？""Why，I do，"replied the man，reining upc.
"And you permitted these viled signs to be painted 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 ？fteen dollars a year each if you'll let me washoff the letters and restore the scene to its original beauty，"he declared.
"I'm willin'，"was the response."But ye see they'recontracted.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 casha 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 suddenresolve.
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.
a spot cash：当场交付的现金
The farmer chuckled.Here was an interesting adventure，for a facta.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 hazardsb he was resolved to eliminate those ugly signs.
He got the name of the sign painter，accepted a glassof 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 marredc the more picturesque and retired spots which were his favorite hauntsd.
