The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-04-01
Out
West


Yes. and looks and acts like beg
gar. Thought from his talk when he
went out West year ago, he was
going to come back with a fortune.
Looks TO me as If he has about blown
In all he has ON that Wild flower fad
Of his
+fYes, and he wants TO find some
place TO store his rubbishy stuff. He
won't turn this place into warehouse,
can tell your
Thus Abel Dallas, Dan Porter and
Nat Wells. They were discussing their
old bachelor relative, John Bristow,
nm odd, generous old fellow who had
sold out quite extensive property hold
.fngs In Evenden and had gone to the
&Pacific coast TO speculate. They had
built high hopes upon his return, for
Bristow was a natural horn trader and
had quite some capital. Naturally
some one of them would inherit his
foffnne. Blasted anticipations changed
to sullen disappointment after Bristow
had made the rounds OF their various
homes, at the first a welcome guest.
Following him came a lot of cases
local warehouse. Their contents were
coon revealed.
II suppose" announced Bristow,
4'that have brought back with me the
Il finest and most complete collection Of
the flora Of the Rockies ever gathered.
bought 1t 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 the opportunity to make ten
strike. What Tn going to do is to get
ut the collection, classify 1t, put it In
permanent exhibitfon-cases and present
s 1t 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
struggling proposition, poorly support
cd and housed La small. gloomy quar-
tiers In the half attic of rickety old,
store building.
The inevitable resulted. The Dallas,
the Porter and the Wells families, find
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
He was no longer the honored, well
come guest and, one day when Bristow
stated that he must find permanent
living quarters and a place to keep his
y Aoral treasures, not 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 a young
man as he had ever known. Both Ar
nold Tracy and his wife were nature
lovers. The second visit resulted in
Bristow taking up his quarters at their
home. They apportioned to him two
rooms, SO he could have his collection
ready at hand to arrange and cata-
logue making q 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
In 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.
cd from visit to some relatives In
the East, they would begin to plan as
"a -
the public library. This Mr.. Pearsons
was an ex-judge. great friend OF
Bristow, and had been the main NOV
or I'm establishing the Evenden IL
brary.
Meantime the Dallas and the Portel
ter and the Wells families barely rec
%Rnized the old man when they passed
him on the street Bristow went about
In shabby attire and they attributed
x this to lack of money. They sneered
ut the kindly cooperation of ths
Tracys. They derided the philanthropy,
impulses of Bristow. There being M
evidences that he had not exhausted hi!
former means, they regarded him a.
:. unworthy of any consideration.
And one evening Judge PEARSON
walked into the Tracy home and Their
was a great confab. He commended
the worthy motives of the old man, ant
dilated upon the pleasure and the ed
vocation the floral collection would give
TO students and nature lovers.
at seems a shame TO place sucl
treasures in the poor. common quarter
we now occupy" he remarked.
4Oh! I wanted to see you abou
that" exclaimed the enthusiast In
lively tone 'You see, I've been wait
Ing to have you help me plan out
new building for the library"
"A new building!'' repeated the judg
vaguely.
That's what / am going to do"
But the cost-the money!
"Oh, I've got plenty for that" quit
craftily chuckled the old man. An
men he directed a queer, affectionat
snofIa OF NalIfo and Arnold HIudua