Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-04-17
GORGE.AGNEW CHAMBER
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when a man learns to eat work
Just like he does food because he's
hungry for It, there's bound to be Q
place for him anywhere. It has struck
me there are . lot OF fields around
here, some OF them mine, that are
about ready for resurrection, and res
direction is my job.
don't know exactly how I'm 20
ing to start but 1t may be planting Do
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" inter1ected 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. T.'s couldn't beat
it for gorgeous horror" finished Gerry.
But that's neither here nor there.
What I'm driving at is this. II 1 had
never been tossed over the home fence
1 would have lived and died an orna-
mental citizen with the girth of a beer
barrel. But now my eyes are bit
open and 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. 1T seems to me, Mr.. Ian
sirE, that you nd me have been trav-
elm diffrent trails but come together
at the same gap. You remember The
Purple City'?'
Gerry nodded.
"Wal, seems to me thet 'ceptin' in a
mans own mind the amt no purple
cities What mans got to find amt
purple cities but the power to see one
when he's got it. You had yourn right
here in this valley an yon side on Red
Hill. You growed up in 1t but you
never seen it-not till you learned
how. What you been sayin' about the
simple things of life-the things thet
Is at the bottOm-has he'ped my seein'
parts a powerful lot l knowed before
I come to Red Hill that | was goin'
out West to stay hut l didn't rightly
know why. Now eff you ask me what
1 know l can tell you l know con-
sid able.
"Out in Moo Mexico they's a 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 holdin' a four-hush against an
orchids weak pair till she's jest about
sick of the game, but she's drawed and
filed on the last hand though she hain't
had chanst to look at her cards yet.
For some while the's been a purple
light hangin' over Big and Little creek
an / reckon I'll be able to see 1t plain
er an palmer the higher | get to it an
If the girl will hep me | reckon that
in small way we'll soon be CROWN a
pu'ple city that will feed from yo'
hand. Eff ever you feel the need of
some BRAN new air, Mr.. Lansing, you
won't be much besides air but it'll be
fresh made on White mountain an you
can smell it comm down through the
pines an see it playin' with the leaves
on the cottonwoods an plowin' through
the tops Of the sorghum"
They sat for some time in silence
then Gerry said, "I've been calling you
Kemp since | first saw you but you
still hang on to the mister when you
talk to me. Cut it out, Kemp"
. Kemp flushed slightly. "Some things
is fittln' an some amt" he said, AN
we can't always rightly say why. Some
folks is governed by conscience but
most by pride. Its goin' to be Kemp
and Mister Lansing to the end of the
chapter. Mr.. Lansing, an no friendship
lost either. Shake"
They shook hands solemnly mount
ed and started back to Red HILL Gerry
had found the key to Kenps strength.
1t was the key of strength. Kemp be-
lOnged on the Hill. and with the people
of true blood anywhere. not only be-
cause he was himself always but be-
cause he defended what he could hold
and no more. He was a definition for
independence.
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