Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-03-20

Great land, I haven't heard anybody
say 'pronto' since was knee high to
a hoptoadr
In all his forecastings Evan Blount
had never pictured a Homecoming like
this. In each succeeding hour Of the
day the edges OF the chasm Of the
years drew closer together, and when
finally his father put him on a horse
and rode with him to corner Of the
vast home farm. a corner fenced OF
by sentinel cottonwoods and watere'
by the small irrigation ditch Of his
boyhood recollections, rode with him
through the screening cottonwoods
and showed him, lying beyond them.
the old ranch buildings of the Circle
Bar, untouched and undisturbed, his
heart was full. and a sudden mist
came before his eyes to dim the pic
ture.
I've kept It Just as It used to be.
Evan" his father said gently. "I
thought maybe you'd come back some
day and be sure enough disappointed
If it were gone"
The younger man slipped from his
saddle and went TO look In at the
Everything was precisely as he re
membered 1.-THE simple, old fashion
ed furniture, the crossed Quirts over
the high wooden mantel, his mothers
rocking chatr-that was the final
touch. he sat down on the worn door
log and put his face in his hands, for
now the gaping chasm Of the years
was quite closed, and he was u boy
again
Later in the day there were am
bling gallops along the country roads.
and the father explained how the
transformation from cattle raising to
agriculture and fruit growing had
come about; how the great irrigation
dam in Quaretaro canyon had put
thousand square miles Of the fertile
mesa under cultivation; how with the
importing of the new population had
come new blood. new methods. good
roads, the telephone, the rural mail
route and other civilizing agencies.
Evan groaned. 81 know" he said.
1--WE lost my birtbland. It's as ex-
tinct as the meCalosaurian lizards
whose bones we used to find sticking
in the gully banks on Table Mesa. BY
the way, that reminds me. Are there
any of those giant fossils left? / was
telling Professor Anners about them
the other day, and he was immensely
Interested"
We're all fossils. we older folks Of
the cattle raising times" laughed the
man whom Richard Gantry had called
the super governor but there are
some of the bones left, too, l guess,
and if the professor is n friend Of
yours We'll get him a state permit TO
dig all he wants to-
Yes, Professor AnnerS IS n friend
of NINE" was the younger mans half
absent admission, "as much of a
friend as his daughter would ever al
low him to be-"
The qualifying clause was not
thrown away upon the senator.
What has the daughter got against
you. SOM" he asked mildly.
Nothing very serious laughed Pa
tricia's lover. But I think she is
jealous of any one who tries TO share
her father with her. Next to her ca
reer'-
That's Boston. isn't IT," interrupted
the ex-cattle king. Then he added.
I'm right glad it hasn't come in your
way to tie yourself up to one OF those
careers Evan, my boy"
The young man felt better Sfter he
had told his father his love story. II
was highly necessary that h. should
tell some one. and whom better?
David Blount listened with the far
away look in his eyes that the son had
more than once marked as the great
est of the changes chargeable to the
aging years.
Think a heap of her, do you. son?1
he said when the ambling saddle ami
the hOmeward journey.
$50 much that it went near to spoil
ing me when she finally made me real
ize that 1 couldn't hold my own
against the career" he made an
swer. Then he added: II want work,
father. That is what 1 am out here
for; the hardest kind OF work and
plenty of it; something that ] can put
my heart into. Can you find It for
me?"
There vas the wisdom Of the cen
turtles in the gentle smile provoked by
this unashamed lovers appeal.
81 wouldn't take it too hard II !
were you. son." said the wise man.
And as for the work. guess we can
satisfy you If your appetite isn't too
big How would a state Office dog
"Poitics?" queried Blount, bringing
his horse down to the walk for which
his father had set the example. I've
thought n good bit about that, though
haven't had any special training that
way. The schools OF today are turn
ing ont business lawyers-men who
GROUP CONQUERED.