Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-24
Copyright. 1905. by Curran Richard Greenley)

The old colonel shivered little as the
April wind swept cool and keen through
the stark boughs where the young ouds
were swelling. His lean, gray face, wan III
the spring sunshine. took on grimmer
look as he watched Jim canter UP the ave-
nue. on the gray colt whose long stride had
slackened to a slow walk over the young
blue grass.
Ought to have been here two hours
ago." he grumbled. as Jim dsmounted, ana,
with the bride flung over his arm, handed
UP the letters and the paper that made up
the chief item of the colonel's daily life.
Couldn't help it, father. l met Ellis and
the lawyer that the oil people have sent
me down here, and we were all so inter
ested In the results of the boring over at
Weldon that could hardly get away from
them when l did
"On, hey? Well, you can tell them for
me that there won't be any boring done IN
my field. Weldon is about as near as they
will get to leasing my land for their da-
oil wells. Don't let me hear any more
of this. Jimmie. You let them and thelr
projects alone. 1 want this nonsense stop
ped" And the colonel fell into the midst OF
the market report.
Jim Lawrence walked down to the sta
bles. the bride of the gray slackening and
tightening as the colt nosed his sleeve, or
reached for a mouthful of young buds.
Let them alone. Let everything alone
that means getting out of the rut. Just jog
along, turning over the ground in the same
old way, and the land already mOrtSageo
for more than it would bring on the open
market" Jim ground his heel in the path
and gave the bride a vicious jerk. The
handsome young face was dark with dis
Coura cement. Much hope there is in the
future for me. and-Altce. Yet down there
in that old waste field Ellis says there is
every reason TO believe that the Norton
vein has its beginning. God only knows
how many thousands that field may bring
to some stranger, when we have lost it.
and all for an old mans obstinacy."
He turned the gray into his loose box.
then pulling his hat down over his eyes,
strobe away to the field. 1t had been turned
out for some years and was grown up in
brush and briars. Through the center a
creek ran noisily over its rocky bed, foam
ing over the shelving strata of limestone.
and deepening into dark pools where the
black bass made their home Jim knew
every Granny of the steep banks, but his
mind was not bent upon fishing. He climbed
down into the bed, looking intently at the
rocks on either side and at last he found
the place where the cool gray of the stone
sulled to dirty yellow, and a certain
faint odor chung to the particles as they
crumbled under his knife blade. "That's
the same stone that Ellis had. l knew
was not mistaken He fell to brooding
silently. until the voices of the men in the
adjoining field aroused him. Nearly din
ner time. and the whole morning wasted.
Well. I'll play my last card before l go
back TO town and tell Ellis that l have
failed that father won't even allow him
10 examine the field
The colonel was In the best of humors
as he sat at dinner. He rambled on about
politics-9ings were going his way Just
then: then he spoke of the probable price of
wheat, and the prospect for a short crop
when he suddenly realized that Jim was
not even listening to his harangue.
We'll. sir. / don't appear to be able to
interest you" he bristled.
Jim woke up with staff. II beg your
pardon, father. | wandering a little
from the subject. You We're saying" he
began patiently, but the colonel was not
appeased.
I'm my days" he was beginning Jim
pushed back his chair He was in no mood
to be lectured with the soreness of his
futile hopes goading him to desperation.
Father, stop &, moment and listen TO me
as man, not as the child that you will
persist in making of me. ! have been talk
ing TO Johnson this morning about the mort
gage. The interest will be due in about
ten days. and we must do one of two things
either give johnson mortgage upon the
personally in order to raise the money to
pay the interest, or omit farming and let the
matter take it's course. We are going TO
face that in the end, and II might as well
come first as last.
"And the other?" The colonel was wide
awake now.
Jim leaned across the table, putting all
his self-control on guard THE other IS
that Johnson has agreed to cancel the in
terest for one year If you will sign a lease
on the old field for five years, and let Ellis
commence boring right away"
The colonel sprang from his chair with
flashing eyes. $50 that's your game? You