Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1919-05-01
''Out
West
By RALPH HAMILTON
"An insuffersbie old bore :"


An insuffersble old bOre!"
"Yes. and looks and acts like beg
gar. Thought from his talk when he
went out West year ago. he was
going 20 come back with a fortune.
Looks to me as II he has about blown
in all he has on that wild flower fad
Of his"
"Yes, and he wants 20 find some
place TO store his rubbishy stun. He
won't turn this place into a warehouse,
I can tell you!"
Thus Abel Dallas, Dan Porter and
Nat Wells. They were discussing their
old bachelor relative, John Bristow,
an odd, generous old fellow who had
sold out quite extensive property hold
ings In Evenden and had gone TO the
Pacific coast TO speculate. They had
built high hopes upon his return, for
Bristow was a natural born trader and
had quite some capital. Naturally
some one OF them would inherit his
fortune. Blasted anticipations changed
to sullen disappointment after Bristow
had made the rounds Of their various
homes, ut the first a welcome guest.
Following him came a lot OF cases
which he had temporarily stored In a
local warehouse. Their contents were
soon revealed.
II suppose" announced Bristow,
that I have brought back with me the
finest and most complete collection Of
the fora Of the Rockies ever gathered
bought II from a man who had de-
voted twenty years toward assem-
bling them. Thinks /. there isn't much
I have done for my native town. and
here's tie opportunity to make a ten
strike. What I'm going to do Is to get
nj the collection. classify IL, put II In
permanent exhibition cases and present
It to the public library for the enter
tainment and enlightenment Of the
community"
At which Abel secretly snickered,
Dan anathemized the donation under
his breath and Nat covertly sneered.
The idea The public library was q
struggling proposition, poorly support
ed and housed in small, gloomy quar-
tiers IN the half attic OF a rickety old
store building.
The inevitable resulted. The Dallas,
the Porter and the Wells families, and
ing that there was no opportunity Of
getting anything out of ''the old fell
low" began To turn the cold shoulder
upon him. one by one the three
families ceased their coddling tactics.
10. hA ,al-
come guest and, one day when Bristow
stated that he must find permanent
living quarters and a place to keep his
floral treasures, not q voice gainsaid
his decision. II was while seeking his
new refuge that one day BrIstow met
Nellie Tracy. Her sincere greeting
warmed his lonely heart. She was his
half niece. had recently married. and
invited Bristow to her home. There he
met her husband, about as fine q young
man as he had ever known. Both Ar
mold Tracy and his wife were nature
lovers. The second visit resulted In
Bristow taking up his quarters at their
home. They arportloned to him two
rooms, so he could have his collection
ready at hand to arrange and cata-
logue making a minimum charge for
the accommodation because they were
really interested In his specimens and
liked him, and nearly every evening
took an honest delight In helping him
la his work Of classifying the floral
collections.
John BriStow was certainly an ar
dent devotee OF his engrossing fad. He
talked flowers to everybody. announc-
ing that when Judge Pearsons return
ed from visit TO some relatives In
the East, they would begin TO plan as
TO getting the collection in charge Of
the public library. This Mr.. Pearsons
was an ex-judge. a great friend Of
Brstow, and had been the main NOV
CT Ia establishing the Evenden Il
bIary.
Meantime the Dallas and the Porter
ter and the Wells families barely rec
"gnized the old man when they passed
him on the street. Bristow went about
In shabby attire and they attributed
this to lack Of money. They sneered
at the kindly cooperation OF the
Tracys. They derided the philanthropic
impulses of Bristow. There being no
evidences that he had not exhausted his
former means, they regarded him as
unworthy of any consideration.
And one evening Judge Pearsons
walked into the Tracy home and there
was great cOnfab. He commended
the worthy motives OF the old man, and
ds1ated upon the pleasure and the ed
ucation the floral collection would give
to students and nature lovers.
N seems n shame to place such
treasures In the poor. common quarters
we now occupy" he remarked.
"Oh. wanted TO see you about
that" exclaimed the enthusiast In
lively tone. You seq. I've been wait
ing TO have you help me plan out q
new building for the library"
"A new building" repeated the Judge
vaguely.
That's what am going TO do"
But the coSt-:he money!"
"Oh. I've got plenty for that" quite
craftily chuckled the old man. And
then he directed queer. affectionate
smile ri Nellie and Arnold. Judge"
he said. soon as we can get together
for a good talk. l want you 10 make
out the papers for n ten thousand dol
lar donation To the new library. and as
much more for these two loyal friends,
who have stool ~ me like Trojans.
nsEe:' caring II | had only Il dollar or
one hundred thousand Of them. which
about represents what I made out