The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-09-03
By Charles G. Norris.


husbands industry, Philip, by
end OF his visit, was quite
ready TO agree. but 1t impressed him
as drudgery. Harry worked tire
lessly. He was astir before "sun-
up" and long after night had
fallen he was still pittering about
the barns, tool-shop and pump
house, by the light OF swinging
lantern. Philip. sitting on the
porch with his sister-in-law in the
warm flush Of the dark summer
night, could see his brothers legs,
In the circle of bobbing light.
moving here and there in the
blackness.
The two men drove over the
ranch in Philips car the follow
ing morning, and Harry pointed
out with some pride how he was
developing his small property. He
had blasted out q number Of old
trees two winters before, and the
new saplings were coming in tall
and in heavy leaf. Experiments
with olives and almonds had
turned out better than he hoped,
and there were indications that
these would some day prove pro-
fitable. The old cot trees he
was gradually replacing with
sugar prunes, and he confidently
believed an excellent market could
be made for the dried fruit as
soon as the new Association of
Fruit Growers in and around
Vacaville-at last an accomplished
fact-commenced to operate. The
almonds he was already boxing in
cartons and shipping East. By
advertising them in a small way,
he had worked up a respectable
mail-order business for them.
Philip was impressed. Harry
had ideas. and it was clear that
with anything like an even
break of luck, his carefully
thought-out plans and his indie
fatigable industry would win tor
him, some day, a comfortable liv-
ing.
But the constant grind, the
colossal labor entailed, made
Philip shudder. There were other
ways of making living-surer
ways. infinitely more lucrative.
Half the amount of energy Harry
put into his work would earn an
easy living for himself and his
small family in the city. More
over, there would be no running
Of terrible risks-frosts and
droughts and pests. which took
no heed OF either diligence or
ability.
Thoughts.
1t was half past eight on Sat
urday morning. Philip stretched
luxuriously in his comfortable
bed, and thought of his brother
who had been up and at work
for three hours already. Philips
whole business day was only
twice as long. and he could come
and go as he pleased. taking two
or three days off now and then
whenever he liked. He congratu-
lated himself on having chosen
the city life. He had Marjorie
to thank for that, at any rate.
1t was a lucky thing for him he
had married her and not Rose
mary! He might have been IN
Harry's shoes now, working all
day long and half the night, seven
days out of the week! Harry was
haggard, gaunt. thin as a rail.
Philip had noticed his forearm
the day before; the muscles were
so clearly defined beneath the
skin. they reminded him of
Autographed chart he had once
seen in a Doctors office, in which
the thews and sinews in the hu-
man arm had been laid bare and
had been horribly depicted in
scarlet gruesomeness. There was
nothing to Harry except bone
and muscle. In some degree
Philip envied him his hardness
and slimness. He himself was
getting soft and fleshy. distress
ingly stout.
Before he went away, he man.
aged a serious talk with his
brother, telling him he had moth
ing but the heartiest approval
for everything he had dom, and
for his future plans. He had
every reason to believe that the
time would come when the ranch
would yield a fair return, but ne
wanted Harry to consider how
much easier life would be in San
Francisco, how much less diff
cult it was to make a satisfactory
living there, how much more
comfort there would be for him
self and Rosemary. He assured
Harry that II he would consider