Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-25
CHAPTER II

CHAPTER n
Mario Delaro the man whose deao
body had been found, was, as his name
indicates, an italian who had emigrated
to America Immediately after the close
of the civil war, while he was still I
youth.
His parents had been weu-to-dO, but
his father met with reverses in conse-
quence Of patriotic endeavor to estab.
lish some large factories near to Naples
which had turned out . failure.
Young Mario, full Of pluck and spirit
! determined not TO become in any way
| dependent on his father in his strait
ened circumstances, SO with praise
worthy energy he resolved to try his
luck in California Like many others,
before and since, he was doomed TO
meet with some bitter disappointmentss
but as he had made up his mind to bat
tie in earnest with the world, there was
little fear that he would starve.
| He first tried the mining districts,
| but there met with Indifferent success.
Still. by hard work he managed to get a
| little money ahead and drifted TO San
| Francisco, where he opened fruit
store. There he was moro successful
| and soon saved several thousand dol.
lars.
Growing tired Of the busy: get hum.
drum life Of the city, he resolved on
trying his hand in the wine.growtng
districts. and bought few acres OF land
in the fertile Sonoma valley.
Owing to his imperfect knowledge Of
the business he at first lost a great deal
Of money in the venture, and by the
time that he had mastered all the nec-
essary points and was turning out sat.
isfactory wines, he found that the poor
wines which many OF his competitors
were putting on the market had caused
the people to speak disparagingly 81
domestic wines, so that the trade in
them was considerably fallen of
However, he continued to persevere in
the face OF i'll fortune, and was at last
rewarded with success.
Elated with his good fortune, he con
fceiyed the idea of becoming part cwne,
and manager of one of the largest wine
growing concerns in Son oma County
and in an evil hour took into partner
ship Portuguese named Leon Velas
quez, so that he might have the mean:
to purchase some neighboring vine
yards.
Veiasquez brought quite large sun
| SA IOuey lhtO Suc OQS4uSSSs GuOuSu III '
he came by it was often afterwards .
theme for speculation In the mind o
Mario.
the prospects for the next year were
quite brilliant But before the end o
twelve months partnership Velasque
began 60 show signs OF lessening PEI
sonal interest in the business
10 tool oft-ronoo cd trims Co Co,
Francisco and made frequent demand
9or money. which at first Mario in
variab1y met without questioning; bu
when one day Velasquez proposed &
considerably oRerdraw his account,
quarrel ensued. caused by Mario's se
fusa1.
Thereupon velasquez displayed char
acteristics which told that he was no
quite the polished gentleman he pre-
tended to be.
But MaNo'S refusal served good pur
pose; for, after this, Velasquez was no
so importunate in his demands on tn
financial resources of the firm. Mat
: tiers went on with comparative smooth
ness for time, but Mario was not wei
satisfied with his partner and oftel
wished that he had kept along alone il
his old quiet way. AS year followe
year the Posada property continued
increase in value and Sonoma wine
found ready sale at all times Bot
Mario and his partner were makin
large sums of money every year.
Mario was a careful man and investe
his money very cautiously as fast as b
made it, but Velasquez was given t
rash speculation, and frequently los
large sums of money dabbling in mir
ing stocks in San Francisco.
' This and his frequent absence fror
! the Posada cellars gave Delaro goo
} cause for complaint, and he suggeste
) to Velasquez the purchase Of his shar
t in the business.
To this Velasquez would not listen
: He was always sure Of q good thing, a
he knew full well, so long as he retaine
. his interest in the vineyard and tn
wine-cellars and he knew enough t
!: stick to his partner.
iTo BE ooHTNuED.1
T Tm Duke of Devonshire has spent n