The midland journal., 1916-05-19
4Goryof
Today and
ofAnDays

ready"
1t was from Alan that Gerry learned
that Kemp was still in town closing up
his connection with the orchid firm.
Gerry wired him, begging him to come
to The Firs for few days before he
went West. Alix had told of Kemp's
word of comfort.
After the first excitement of getting
home was over Gerry found himself
restless with the same restlessness that
had attacked him during the days at
Piranhas. He tried for solution in
the same way. Day after day, long
before the rest of the Hill was awake,
he was off for ten-mile walk.
At first it was with head dropped
and eyes on the ground that he plowed
his way through dew-soaked world.
but there came time when he walked
with head thrown back, full lungs and
level eyes.
Then Kemp arrived. Gerry tried to
get him to join him in his walks but
Kemp shook his. head sadly.
EFF yo' can't let me have boss, Mr..
Lansing" he said, "I'll ride the cow"
Gerry laughed. They saddled the
horses themselves and started out. On
the top of old Bald Head Gerry dis
mounted and sat down on rock.
Kemp followed suit.
kemp said Gerry, II want to
thank you for the things you said to
my wife-Alix"
Kemp fiushed'and waved a deprecat-
ing hand.
"You saw things straight" went on
Gerry, "and want to thank you, too,
for letting me hog-tie myself"
II amt curious about that, Mr.. Ian
sing" said Kemp, $50 much's about
what you're goin' to do when yo' unite
yo'seff."
"Well," said Gerry, "Pve thought
that out too. For a while it used to
break my heart to think about Fa-
zenda Flores but 1t came to me the
other day that what there is of me that
amounts to anything is just Fazenda
Flores,
When man learns to eat work
just like he does food because he's
hungry for it. there's bound to be
place for him anywhere 1t has struck
me there are a lot of fields around
here, some Of them mine, that are
about ready for resurrection, and res
direction is my job.
II don't know exactly how I'm go
ing to start but it may be planting po-
tatoes. You can begin a resurrection
with any one of number Of simple
things. 1t doesn't matter much which
one you. pick on as long as you start
right down at the bottom and spread
yourself in the subsoil of things.
Everything that grows starts down
deep except your orchids and they are
parasites"
Easy on orchids, interjected Kemp.
Sorry, Kemp. Orchids are ornamen-
tai but excepting your favorites they're
not even beautiful. Look at Cypri-
pedium Vexillarium-''
Hybrid" grunted Kemp.
"a man in his D. It's couldn't beat
it for gorgeous horror" finished Gerry
But that's neither here nor there.
What I'm driving at is this. If had
never been tossed over the home fence
/ would have lived and died an orna-
mental citizen with the girth of beer
barrel. But now my eyes are a bit
open and l can see that the simple
things of life are the big things.
Growth from the roots is the strength
of man and OF his people. I've
come home in more senses than one.
I'm going to send down my roots right
here"
Kemp had been whiting. When
Gerry had finished he pocketed his
knife and gazed thoughtfully down
the valley. 1T seems TO me, Mr.. Lam
sing, that you nd me have been trav-
elm diff'rent trails but come together
at the same gap You remember The
Purple City'?p
Gerry nodded.
"Wal, seems to me thet 'ceptin' in
mans own mind the amt no purple
cities. What a mans got to find amt
purple cities but the power to see one
WHEN uS got IL. 4Ou udu yOuru IlSul
here in this valley an yon side on Red
Hill. You growed up in it but you
never seen it-not till you learned
how. What you been sayin' about the
simple things of ilfe-the things thet
is at the bottom-has he'ped my seein
parts a powerful lot. knowed before
come to Red Hill that I was goin'
out West to stay but didn't rightly
know why. Now eff you ask me what
know l can tell you | know con-
sid'able
'Out in Moo Mexico they's ranch
in the fork of Big and Little creek
that's the greenest patch in the shadow
of White mountain. It's mine and it's
got three-room shack ON it that could
grow if need was. know girl that's
been hoIdin' a four-hush against an
orchids weak pair till she's jest about
sick of the game, but she's drawed and