Carrizozo outlook. [volume] (Carrizozo, N.M.) 1910-1945, 1921-03-25
By
ROBERT ]. C.
STEAD

Aufhog Of This Gov
PuHchsr EfC


Any disappointment which had beet
occn-loucd by backward condition.
earle in the scnson was c0fuccd by
che wonderful crop which nov
crowned the efforts OF the pioneers. or
their finest eastern farms they hnt
seen nothing "a cQunl the great stand
of wheat and onts which now enyel
opcd them. neck.high. whenever they
Invaded A. The great problem before
the settlers wns the harvesting Of thl,
crop. II was n mighty task to nt
tempt with their scythcs, hut tlier,
was no sclf.hlnder, or even reaper
within many miles.
Finally Morrison solved the problem
for the whole community by plnclna
an order. at Il fabulous figure. for q
g. lfhludcr from the United Stntcs. II
was n cumhrous. wooden frame con
trivnhcc, gulltless of the roller bear
inrs. floating aprons open elevators
nnd slcnf carriers OF n later day. but
II served the purpose, and with rs MD
the harvest Of the little settlement
was snfcly plnccd In shonf. The farm.
crs then sucked their grain In the
fields. taking cnre 10 pillow double fire
gunrds. with n burnt space between,
ms u p%rccautlon against the terrifying
fires which broke over the prairie ns
soon Ms the September frosts had dried
the grass. A community some 20 miles
~ the eastward honsted u threshlne
mill, and arrangements were made for
lbs use after II had discharged the du.
ties ~ ms own locality.
When Harris thrnshlng was done he
found he had uOO bushels of whent and
100 bushels Of oats In %cone-shaped
piles nm his iclds, The roads were
fine aud hard, aud no snow had yet
fallen, 80 he determined 10 begin at
once with the marketing Of his whent.
His last cent had been spent months
before indeed. II had been only
through the courtesy Of the stOrekecp.
or NJ Plnlnvllle. who was also post.
master, and who had stretched the
law TO the point ~ accepting hen eggs
ms legal tender In exchange for post
ngc stamps, that Mary Harris had
been able to keep Mp the brave. optl.
mistic series Of letters written "home."
So Harris decided that he would AT
once market some Of his whcnt. Most
of the oats would be needed for his
horses nnd for seed, and what re.
mulncd would command good prices
from new settlers the following spring,
but some of the wheat must be turned
into money et once. During the lat.
ter part ~ the summer they had lived
exclusively on the produce Of their
farm on vegetables from the garden.
fish and ducks from the stream. prnl.
rio chickens. aud nm occasional rab.
bit from the fields. The wild geese had
deserted them early In the spring. and
returned only after harvest. hut now
they should have n change on thels
table. Mary had accepted the pioneer
fare ~ the summer without complaint.
but of late Harris had discovered n
strange longing In her eyes, and more
thnn once She had arrested herself In
the words 81 wish we had Then
two pcnltcnt little tcnrs would stenl
softly down her checks, and She would
bury her head iu his arms as he
so"ihod her WITH loving words and
promised thai after furnishing things
would b" Inherent
SEQ uow Dec SET ont for Emerson with
thc best load his horse. could draw.
THE iirf irW miles ho drove iu silence.
for thOrc vHs % heavy weight nt his
heart 1903 le tluueht of the little wife
alone with lhp responsibilities of the
fHrW That slice would bee faith