The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1913-03-20
MAN WHO DRIFTED ON
BY GEORGE PATTILIo.

While we dawdled in the shade cast
by the wagon, the Bantys told US their
history. It was that Of restless wan
derers who constitute never-ceaslng
caravan from as far east as louisiana,
vending westward and north through
Oklahoma. Texas, New Mexico and
Arizona. They find a virgin country,
break it, and nature heaps her boun-
ties In their laps. Then comes 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; it 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 die
not agree with him and his wife.
Il liked it, Ed" she protested.
But it 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 genTman says
they're paying 500 an acre for that
plains land" said Banty, his eyes gilt
tering. And we done sold ours for
50. If we'd only waited"
Yes" his wife sighed; its too bad.
And we done lost that $1,000 in New
Mexico, you recoilect, Ed?"
Indeed, he did. Banty wagged his
head over the inscrutable ways Of the
Jade Fortune, and murmured, We'll,
we'll Who'd have thought it?"
This was WORKOUT tale to us, one
of little meaning. Nesters came and
nesters went. If they did not go soon
enough we sometimes furnished the
impetus; for, of course, the southwest
was intended by the Creator to be
COW country, and it is an iniquity that
agriculturists should win it for corn
and cotton and other mainstays Of
life.
Banty had fenced a quarter section
near Ell Captain mountains, and, with
this as a base of operations, had put
his nestegg in sheep. But the sheep
had dived over a cliff on a night Of
rocking storm, and there was none
to prove what, or who. propelled them.
Much good 1t would have done him
could he have proved It, So once more
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 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 so friendly?
He said no mans hand was lifted
against his neighbor, Brother Ducey
did"
"Huh-huh," Dave grunted. He had
given the recital his most earnest at
tention, and now he shook his head
reprovingly.
That's just the way it is every time
the way you done. It's what I've
been telling these boys here for ten
years." he declared. Birds of
feather gather no moss"
What's that you say, Mr.. Dave"
"a rolling stone gathers no feath-
ers," Dave corrected sternly. you all
know what ean."-McClure's Maya