The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-03-30

Time was when orchids was al
ambition; now they's jest a business
In Eurup, it's some different. They.
collectors hankerin' after new varie
ties an houses that keeps men lOOkin
for 'em but in America, you MAX me
If an orchid don't make up we'll OF
the missus' bodice or on the table, i
amt business; an they's a few millior
children CROWN up to the idea that Il
1t amt a Cattleya 1t amt an orchid.
Kemp came to himself, blushed and
hurried out as If on urgent business
Lieber looked at Gerry's thoughtful
face and smiled. Who'd have thought
he'd ever talk that way in daylight|
ne said.
Il think" replied Gerry, at was
your offering to let him make this
place his headquarters. 1t ratified him
and started him off. l could see he
was grateful"
Perhaps that was it," said Lieber.
Hes queer one. He never asked
me. 1t just occurred to me to sug-
gest it because I'm getting to enjoy
having Kemp around"
Gerry nodded. His eyes fell on the
clock and he got up with a start. The
sun was at its highest when he reached
Fazenda Flores. Thou hast been
away long time" said Margarita re-
prOachfully.
Gerry jumped Off his horse and
kissed her. Then he picked up his
son and set him in the saddle. Mar
garita screamed. True Blue arched
his neck and looked cautiously around
at his featherweight burden. The
young horse stood very still while
Margarita fought past Gerry's arm
and dragged the Man from its perilous
perch to her bosom. And manlike the
Man protested with a bad-tempered,
whole-lunged wall that rent the air
and brought DOna Maria to the corner
Of the house to peer at them with eyes
shaded under Cupped hands.
A few days later the rains came in
earnest. passed and Gerry contracted
with Lieber for labor to be paid for in
produce. Fazenda Flores blossomed
and bore fruit. People began to come
in from afar to barter for produce and
buyer appeared and took over the
whole of the little cotton crop. Gerry
poured money into Margarita's lap.
more money than she had ever seen
and sent her under escort of Dona
Maria and Bonifacio and the Man to
purchase all Of comfort and furbelows
that the tiny market of Plranhas could
supply.
They were to be gone two days and
Gerry left the Fazenda in charge of
his foreman to go and spend the time
with Lieber and Kemp. He found
Kemp in a sort of controlled eation
over the greatest shipment of CONNER
cial orchids the trade had ever known.
Just after Gerry's arrival two men
bearing Il monster plant of
over two hundred leaves strung, like
the grape cluster Of EschOl; on a pole |
Kemp's deep-set eyes seemed to
grow out of his head as lie made out
their burden. "Hi-yiw he yelled and
rushed off to the corral where he threw
himself on to an astOnished heifer
For one second she squatted and then
went mad. With yell and fogging hat
Kemp poured oil on the fire of her
frenzy. She bucked and twisted and
all but somersaulted in her efforts to
rid herself of the demon on her back. |
On the veranda, Lieber and Gerry held |
their sides and rOared at the most |
grOtesque fine riding they had ever
seen. Finally. with desperate lunge,
the heifer breasted the corral fence.
1t caught her middle and she teetered |.
over. Kemp turned a handspring from
her back and landed on his feet. The |
heifer scrambled free from the fence
and tore, wild-eysd, out into the desert.
Laughter rang from every side. Three |
herders threw themselves on to their |
horses and rode, shouting, after the |
heifer. Kemp Strengthened out his hat, |
put it on, and walked Sedately over to |
the veranda. There was only a faint |
CLINT in his eye as he bought the mon
ster plant to crown the monster ship |
ment.