The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1913-07-04
MAN WHO DRIFTED ON
BY GEORGE PATrILIo.

While we dawdled in the shade cast
by the wagon, the Bantys told us their
history. II was that of restless wan
derers who constitute never-ceasing
caravan from as far east as Louisiana,
vending westward and north through
Arizona. They find virgin country,
break It, and nature heaps her boun-
ties in their laps. Then comes a bad
year, and they have made no pro-
vision; or the spirit of the rover, that
will not die, wakes once more; again
their wagons take their whining way
through the wilderness.
Surely the goal will prove fabulously
rich; always that hope-it never burns
out. The memory of starvation can
not dim; hardships and distance do
but fan it; 1t fires their souls as the
lure of gold tempts prospectors. And
on their heels comes the ploddIng
farmer, who goes patiently to work to
wrest a. living out of the claims
they have abandoned, and wakes,
some morning, to find that civilization
is knocking at his door and he is
rich.
Banty had tried raising maize close
to the nations. No; the climate did
not agree with him and his wife.
Il liked it, Ed she protested.
But 1t wasn't doing you no good,
Goldie," he said. Il could see that
easy"
He had nothing to say against the
climate. 1t was good enough climate,
but its effects were far from satisfac-
tory. In consequence, they had dis
posed Of their acres to migrate to the
Panhandle. All that was years ago.
THAT land is selling at $40 an acre
now" / observed.
Twenty dollars. swan! Do you
hear that, girl? This gen'Iman says
they're paying $40 an acre for that
plains land" said Banty, his eyes gilt
tering. and we done sold ours lf8r
So. II we'd only waited"
YES" his wife sighed; its too bad
And we done lost that $1,000 in New
Mexico, you recollect, Ed2T
Indeed. he did. BantS wagged his
head over the inscrut. able ways of the
Jade Fortune, and murmured, We'll,
well Who'd hare thought it,"
This was a Iworn-out tale to us, one
of little meaning. Nesters came and
nesters Vent. II they did not go soon
enough we sometimes furnished the
imEstus; for, of course, the southwest
WIS intended by the Creator to be a
/cow country. and IT is an iniquity that
agricultnrists should win 1t for corn
and cotton and other mainstays of
life.
Banty had fenced quarter section
near Ell Captain mountains, and, with
this as q base Of operations, had put
his nestegg in sheep But the sheep
had dived over q cliff on night of
rocking storm. and there was none
to prove what, or who, propelled them
Much good It would have done him
could he have proved It. So once mare
he had gathered his scant belongings
into a wagon to set out for that
promised land.
This is the Last time; yes, sir,
cried Banty, In his excited cracked
tones. where we're going now they
say It's a regular Garden Of Eden,
like what the Good Book tells about.
All you have for to- do is to stir the
ground some and you've got a crop.
Six cuttings Of alfalfa In q year. yes.
sir"
And DON'T forget how calm and
peaceful 1t all is, Ed" Goldie spoke
up. Don't you mind how Brother
Ducey said they were all 80, friendly?
He said no mans hand was lifted
against his neighbor, Brother Ducey
did"
"Huhehuh," Dave grunted.. He had
given the recital his most earnest at
tention. and now he shook his head
reprovfnsly.
That's Just the way It Ia every time
the way you done. Its what I've
been failing these boys here for ten
years." he declared. Birds Of
feather gather no moss"
Whats TINT you say, Mr.. Davef-
"A rolling stone gathers no feath-
ers,~ Dave corrected sternly. You an
know what 1 mean."-McCiure's MagA-
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