Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1916-05-18
oASoryof
Today and
ofAnDays


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 FRS for a 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 1t was with head dropped
and eyes on the ground that he plowed
his way through a 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 a rock.
Kemp followed suit.
"Iemp," said Gerry, "I want to
thank you for the things you said to
my wife-AliX."
Kemp fushed'and waved a deprecnt-
ing hand.
You saw things straight" went on
Gerry, land want to thank you, too,
for letting me hog-tie myself"
Il amt curious about that Mr.. Ian
sing" said Kemp, so much's about
what you're goin' to do when yo' unite
yo'sef."
well" said Gerry, "I've thought
that out too. For a while it used to
break my heart to think about Fa-
zenda Flores but it came to me the
other day that what there is Of me that
amounts to anything is just Fazenda
| Flores.
when a man learns to eat work
just like he does food because he's
hungry for it, there's bound to be a
place for him anywhere. It 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.
Il 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 a 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 fayorltes they're
not even beautiful. Look at a Cyprl.
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 bit
open and l can see that the simple
things of life are the big things
Growth from the roots is the strength
of a 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. ut seems to me, Mr.. Ian
sing, that you nd me have been trav
elm different trails but come together
at the same gap. You remember The
Purple City'?"
Gerry nodded.
oval, seems to me tibet 'ceptin' in Z
mans own mind the amt no pupIt
cities What mans got to find aim
purple cities but the power to see one
when he's got it. You had yourn rlgh
hSlS IL NLlo Nulltg uL gOn sue Ou INe(
Hill. You growed up in it but yol
never seen it--not till you Learned
how. What you been sayln' about tn,
! simple things of life-the things the
! is at the bottom--has he'ped my seem
parts powerful lot. knowed beforr
, l come to Red Hill that was goin
/ out West to stay but l dldn't right,
know why. Now eff you ask me wha
: know can tell you / know con
) sid'able.
: "out in Moo Mexico they's rancl
: In the fork Of Big and Little cree
8 that's the greenest patch in the shadoy
' Of White mountain. It's mine and it
3 got three-roOm shack on it that couI
b grow If need was. know a girl that
e been holdin' a fOur-hush against a
!, orchids weak pair till she's Jest abou
a sick OF the game, but she's drawed an
e filed on the last hand though she hahn
! had chanst to look at her cards yet.
4 "For some while the's been a pupil
light hangin' over Big and Little cree
. n NJ I .aolraK. TgII No oINIa "a oan . ,,Y.l.