The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-03-09

tended them and as soon as the bust,
ness Of eating was over he retired to
the room that had been allotted to
him.
He was up early in the morning and
away to meet the coming herd. First
came the horses, neighing and quick
enlng their weak trot at the smell of
grass. Far away and like distorted
echo sounded the lowing of the slower
cattle. The little herd of Fazenda
tlores caught the moaning cry and
lifted lazy heads. One or two lowed
back.
The horses were rounded up at the
bridge to await. the. cattle. They
stretched thin necks toward the call
ing grass and moved restlessly about
with quick turns of eager heads and
low Impatient, whlnnies. Lieber sat his
stable-fed stallion stolidly, but his eyes
grew moist as he looked over the bony
lot or horses. "They must wait for
the cattle, he said to Gerry. "a fair
start and no favor. Cad, if you could
have seen them three months agow
The cattle came up in a rapid sham
BILE that carried them slowly for they
were staggering in short, quick steps,
Their heads hung almost to the ground
Ihey had no shame. They mOaned
pitifully-cOntinuall
Gerry opened the wire gap. The
horses gave an anticipatory whirl and
then dashed through. They forgot
their weakness. They galloped down
the slope spurning beneath their feet
the food they had longed for. They
did not stop till they reached the rich
bottoms. Lieber smiled affectionately.
There's spirit for you" he said.
The cattle followed but the men had
to beat the first through away from
the gap. They had stopped to eat and
had blocked the way. At last they
were all in and the gap closed. One
or two stood with straddled feet and
continued to low, their lips just brush
ing the lush grass. "Poor beasts" said
Leber, the smile gone from his face,
they are too weak to eat"
He and Gerry went back to the
house for breakfast The herders sat
and smoked. They had had coffee; It
would see them through half the day.
Before Lieber left, the horses were
herded once more and with much trou-
BILE driven out upon the desert. Lie
Der turned to Gerry. Don't let them
back in until tomorrow, please" he
said. "If you do, they'll founder"
What about the cattle? asked Ger
ry.
"The cattle are all right. They
haven't enough spirit left to kill them
selves eating. They'll begin lying
down pretty soon. Good-by, and re-
member, you'll get a warm welcome
up at Lieber's whenever you feel like
riding over"
Thanks" said Gerry "GoOd-by."
He watched Lieber ride away with
a feeling Of changes impending. Fa-
zenda Flores, his isolated refuge. was
beginning to link itself to a world.
Man. like a vine, has tendrils. To
climb he must reach them out and
cling.
The reward of those long months of
was at hand. Once every
spade thrust had seemed but the pre-
cursor to barren effort. Now every
stroke of the hoe seemed to bring forth
fresh green leaf. Life fell into an
monotone. 1t became an
endless chain that forged its own links
Ind heightened out into an endless
perspective. Days passed. The ar
ival of Lleber's foreman to see how
he stock was progressing was an
went. He brought with him an old
addle and bridle-a gift from Lieber
o Gerry. HE says" the foreman re- !
marked with leer, on making the
'resentation, "you can ride anything
ou can catch"
Gerry felt the foreman needed put l
ing In place. He went into the house
nd reappeared carrying something In {
Is hat. He climbed the fence and |
allied. The horses raised their heads {
nd looked. Some were lazy after wa {
ering but the others trOtted over to-
Yard him. They stopped few yards
# and scrutlnized him as though to f
ivine his intentions. Then they ap- '
reached cautiously, with tense legs, 6
eady to whirl and bolt. A greedy colt
efused to play the game Of fear to a a
nish. He strode forward and was re- a
'arded with a large lump Of sugar. 2
he sugar was coarse and black, first 4
1us1n to virgin molasses, but it was
'dolent The horses crowded around C
cry They paved at him. He had
} beat them back. They made bold
ssault on the empty but odorous hat.
erry laughed and cleared the fence to Il
ct away from them. II think your O
aster must be mistaken" he said ii
18th a smile to the foreman. "Some l
these colts can never have been v
lcked." a
The foreman looked his admiration. n
e began to take Gerry seriously; 1t i"
as man to man now. He pointed out y
e horses that were broken to saddle il
Id named their gaits and mettle. d.
hen his shrewd eyes looked around e,
r further details to add to his report OF
his master. He noted that a few, a.
very few, Of the cattle were still fe
ing down when they should have 81
en on their feet and eating. These z
ere herded into corner Of their own v,
ID old BonifaciO was tending them. al
'side each was pile of fresh cut III
ass. AS they ate they nosed 1t away, OF
It Bonifacio made the rounds and
tn his foot pushed back the fodder,
eping 1t in easy reach.
The foreman's eyes caught on two "
w-born calves. They had been taken hi
'm their weak mothers and were in a
rough pen by themselves. The fore CT
IN did not have to count the stock
see that none was misainO Ha xuaa | M