St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-04-25


aeelth and courage to the postmah
InouGh he stops-or passes by.
@arace ID. Boylan. in Chicago Journal.
-
TRIAL BY FIRE.
The major was one of the many we'll
born Englishmen who come to Califor-
mia with younger sons portion and
= small monthly allowance, and hope
to make fortune on vineyard or a
wheat ranch. The plan always looks
feasible in England, and the agent as
buy tcn-acre plot, plant vines, build
= decent bungalow and tide the owner
over until the vines shall bear and
bring him a harvest Of good American
gold.
The major was going the way OF
many Of his English friends. The
Z 1.00olegacy was gone. and the month.
~ allowance of SEQ (which, viewed
4f6m q distance, seemed large) always
grew painfully small ms it neared Cali
xornia and the debts it was supposed
to cover. The majors little mountain
\ vineyard had been destroyed by phyl-
loxera, and he was living on the uncer-
tain promise of a number of green
shoots. called. respectfully, ''the olive
orchard" But the major was not un-
happy. When he was not tilling the
soil, He sat on his little veranda, with
his briarwood pipe between his teeth.
and studied the long, narrow. pictu-
eeque Napa valley far below.
It may be that the majors failure to
succeed in the grape business was not
the fault of the country. but that his
genial, impractical nature was the true
obstacle to success. The major was. in
fact, the most helpless Englishman
who ever came to California to take
care of himself. The poor fellow be-
came SO convinced of this after short
trial that he engaged q man to act as
valet to himself and incidentally cook
the meals for both. The major was
a solitary bachelor then. The gods
alone know in what unpropitious mo-
ment he picked up Pete, to hang about
his neck, a milestone of ineficiency.
fete's poverty must have been his rec
cmmendation and the majors poverty
the excuse for keeping him. Pete had
about as much knowledge of laying out
and caring for q mans wardrobe "a
the major had of running ranch. The
consequence was that the major often
presented himself at his friends
houses in the most surprising garb.
combination Of white duck trousers.
block frock coat and russct hunting
boots being one Of Pete's masterpieces.
In his capacity as cook Pete was not
one whit more efficient, and often sur
fered mental agony over the ponderous
directions of the majors French cook
book, which were like the hierogiyph-
Scs of the ancients to his clouded intel
lect. Considering the diet Of sour bread
and timed meats which Pete provided,
A. IL only less than marvellous that his
s,enefactor was still alive.
When the major married Ellie Smith.
= pretty San Francisco girl, Pete was
promoted to be manager of the ranch.
and expended his grooming talents on
The net mule. The majors wife was
eaartistic." She had studied sketching.
and did some really clever bits. Her
sdmiring husband was sure that she
possessed the divine afflatus. and con-
eeuuently much time was devoted to
arf and little time to ranching.
hut this was not without protest
from one individual. Not that he was
disturbed by lack of work, but poor
pete was oftener than not the unwin
Inr model for Ellie's clever studies.
One day Pete posed for ''The Man With
the Hoe" His temper was particular
" tried on that occasion, for he had
taken up his tool with the honest inten-
zion of wedding the primitive vegeta-
hle eafden. Though he had scudded
through the back yard and climbed the
,e.r fence. he had not counted on meet
srv his Young mistress in the barnyard.
Ne began to wrestle with the weeds
and uretended not to see her. His edu-
eetion. however. had not included Q
.i~ht of Millet's picture, or he would
nave ned down the mountain side in
utser despair.
..Stop, stop. Pete, right there. Don't
,,cve m inch," called the sweet voice
that drove him to madness. ken
,efh." Ellie called to her husband.
sTook. Isn't it wonderful? The lights.
the nose, the very landscape like
~sThe Man with the Hoe, shouted
&he major, gleefully. ''I'll get your
,,.snts. Ellie. Hold on, Pete" and be-
80 that honest son of toll had time
- collect his scattered senses he found
Ainself posing in 4 very uncomfortable
.44itude, with the Napa valley lying
~ his feet and the majors familiar
,hrnses ringing in his ears-"Fine pose
-iolly good subject-delicious color,
After Pete posed for . hundred os
ore Indifferent works of art without
names, he began to think Of deserting
Ale master and leaving him to = jus,
SSra awful fate. But this stupendou,
81 was ayerted by the arrival o.
1vnnpton Edwards, another English
-. who had come to learn practica
81 8 ~..oAin9 under the direction Of hin
1.fAer'sE0ld friend. the major.
AftsseAsak I'D: been been give:
- 1EA4 4ts.retsge about tn
S. s1,ei = 1li him to The Eng
sssa - lH56ajlkrstarnea to hi
e Se1y i1ahng olive trees an
6 s ,SiSi r - reGasn grape vines
81 s sss;155is s>S66Ildl6 veired IN the youn
4. 80 ,leanuopt s&eitHsee and Ane ati
s s :,.ss. E. S ef3ieH snew -neld 10
S ULA-xIaa AornS3 The tim