The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-05-31
CHAPTER III.
The Blessing Of Aridity.


was TO carry him to his new iaoors.
He felt again the thrill OF detachment
that invariably preceded his entrance
into a new country. With the puihng
mn of the porter's green-carpeted STOOL
The alarming of the train gates, the
curtain fell on the Tucson set scene
The long line of cars was pushing
Of with its linen-cOvered Puiimahs
and diners, steaming down grace
4 toward the Sink, the depression which |
4 had been prlmeval sea. and then des-
. ert. and was now sea again. Ola
3 Reach. rechristened Imperial Junction
/ FOR railroad convenience, was itself
lower than the ancient sea line where
once the gulf had reached. RicKaru
knew he could find shells at that des-
ert station should he look for them.
He picked up his bag that the porter
had thrown on the ground ana raced
the rung-down curtain.
Its painted scene was yellow sta
fion house broiling under desert
sun; a large water tank beyond, AID
I'm the distance the inevitable card
board mountains, like property scene
shifts, fiat and thir in their unreal
hues of FURNISHED pink and purple. A
dusty accommodation train was back
ing and switching, picking up the
Il sa,tF refrigerator cars to carry into
the valley for the early melon growers.
Already the valley had asserted It's
1 industrial importance; the late ram
mage of the Colorado had made II
4 Spectacular. Those who would pay
4 little attention to the opening OF
new agricultural district In the heart
of n dreaded desert opened their ears
TO the vagary of the river which had
sportively made of part OF that des-
ert an inland sea. Scientists were
/ rushing their speculations into print
4 would the sea dwind!e by evaporation
as II had done beforel Or would the
overflow maintain the paradoxical
4 sea?
4 The food signs were apparent
/ There cracks had split the desert
sand; here water assures had men
aced the track; and to the south
fringe of young willows hid the patti
4 of the Colorado's debouch.
The men crowding the platform
wore the motley of the new country
In Tucson the uniform of the mall
citizens, with the exception of thos
reckless ones who found inevitabi
4 that lotus is liquid, was the wilte'
pretense of gentle civilization; DC
snD1ent ducks and khakis and linn
Imperial Junction marked tn
Nm of the collar The rest o
composite costume was irregular
kdly Numbered and torn, faded an
sunburned the clothes of the deser
soldier. Richard saw buttonles
shirts, faded overalls. shabby hats
fhe sombrero of Mexico The face
under the PREDETERMINED hats made
4 leaping impression upon him of yout
and eagerness. He noted a signiticar
average OF intelligence and alertnes
This was not the indolent group
men which makes a pretense of occ'
nation whenever a train comes In!
sGoing int" asked voice at his ca
A pair of faded eyes set in youn
old face, whether early withered
well preserved he had not time to d
tern,ine, was staring at him.
He assured his interlocutor that
was going In. His mood isolated Il
phrase; its significance vastly diffe
ent from "going on"
sBuyingf"
II think not"
III Is a good time to buy" Ricka
suspected a real estate agent. IF
land Is low---rock bottom prices
account Of the uneasiness about (
river. People are afraid. They wa
10 see the company redeem some
its promises before they come in; u
tina company isn't in much of
hurry
Richard asked what company he
ferred 70.
The young-old face with the fac
eyes looked at him In surprise. 81
d. n company, Desert Reclamati
which brought us all here"
'.ScampsY' The newcomers sur,
az the long line Of naked mounta
and lean lands that formed the NJ
of the valley gave snub of cast
ness 10 the question.
eNo Fools r The answer was
swift q q bullet Though 50
peoole think them worse than that
doo'f 90 20 far; I'm willing to
fhcy,ve tried. III say that much.
tte1 haven't the know-how.'