Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-11-29
''Out
West
tcopyright. 1919. BY Western Newspaper Union
BY RALPH HAMILTON

gar. Thought from his talk when ne
went out West a 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"
Yes, and he wants TO find some
place to store his rubbishy stuff. He
won't turn this place into a warehouse,
l 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, at the first a welcome guest.
Following him came lot of cases
which he had temporarily stored in
local warehouse. Their contents were
soon revealed.
Il suppose" announced Brist0w
that i have brought back with me the
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 l, there isn't much
have done for my native town, and
here's the opportunity to make a ten
strike. What I'm going TO do is to get
at the collection, classify it, put 1t In
permanent exhibition cases and present
1t to the public library for the enter
tainment and enlightenment Of the
community"
At which Abel secretly snickered,
Dan anathemized the donation ufitfeT
his breath and Nat covertly gneered.
The idea The public library was
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, find
ing that there was no opportunity of
getting anything out of 1.-THE old fell !
low" began to turn the cold shoulder |
upon him. One by one the three |
families ceased their c0dding tactics. |
He was no longer the honored, well |
come guest and, one day when Bristow |
stated that he must find permanent
living quarters and place TO keep his
floral treasures not a voice gainsaid
his decision. 1t 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 young /
man as he had ever known. Both Ar J
mold 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-
l0S0Ss 1ndhiHE a minimum Gliul Ett LII I
the accommodation because they were
really interested In his specimens and
liked him, and nearly every evening
took an honest delight in helping him
III his work Of classifying the floral
collections.
John Brlstow 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. great friend Of
Bristow, and had been the main NOV
er in establishing the Evenden IL
brary
Meantime the Dallas and the Porter
ter and the Wells families barely rec
ognized 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 philanthroplc
impulses of Bristow. There being ne
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
dilated upon the pleasure and the ed.
1lcation the floral collection would give
TO students and nature lovers.
1T seems shame to place such
treasures in the poor, common quarters
we now occupy" he remarked.
'0h! / wanted TO see you about
that" exclaimed the enthusiast in 3
lively tone. "You see, 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 l am going to do"
''6id the cost--the money!"
ooh, I'VE got plenty for that" quite
craftily chuckled the old nun And
then he directed queer affectiOnate
smile at Nellie and Arnold. Judge,
he said, "soon as we can get together
for good talk. | want you to make
.o,k4 no ,,at,ars fn.r +Hr +hn,1SanJ AL